Seniors (60+) the Disabled and Medicare recipients ride for a reduced fare, here's how:

To ride for reduced fare on Buses show the driver proper ID, pay your cash fare or show your monthly pass. On Rail vehicles purchase your ticket from the vending machine in advance of boarding and show it or your monthly pass and proper ID to the fare inspector or conductor upon request. We accept the following forms of identification:

Drivers License
Medicare Card
MTS Senior/Disabled I.D. Card
NCTD Senior/Disabled I.D. Card
State of California DMV Placard I.D. (the white placard receipt from the DMV)
State of California Senior I.D. Card

For information on reduced fares and monthly passes for Senior, Disabled and Medicare recipient riders, click here

For information about San Diego County's public and private specialized transportation providers for the elderly and disabled, visit www.stridesd.org.

Getting Your Transit Identification Card

If you don't have one of the ID's listed above, you can obtain a transit ID at one of two locations;

• The MTS Senior/Disabled/Medicare recipient ID is available at The Transit Store, 102 Broadway, downtown San Diego, weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The price is $6.00.
• The NCTD Reduced Fare ID card is free and can be obtained at two locations:
  • 810 Mission Avenue in Oceanside weekdays from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.   Replacement cards can be purchased for a fee of $5.00.
  • The Escondido Transit Center from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.  Replacement cards can be purchased for a fee of $5.00.

To get your MTS ID, Seniors (60+) must show proof of age:

• Birth certificate
• Driver's license (or State of CA Senior ID)
• Medicare card
• Immigration papers
• CO card
• Passport
• Affidavit from a physician or clergy person

To get a MTS Disabled ID:

If your disability is not a visible one, you must provide us with a photo I.D. (examples: Driver's License, Passport, Out of State ID, Etc.) and one of the following:

• Medicare Card
• State of California DMV Disabled Placard ID (the white receipt from the DMV)
• A statement from a physician or rehabilitation center (on original letterhead or prescription notepad with an original signature -- photo-copies can not be accepted), in addition to the nature of your disability, the statement should identify whether it is permanent or temporary in nature
• I.E.P. from school for disabled students
• Current year S.S.I. or S.S.A., or S.S.D.I. award letter
• Letter from the Epilepsy Foundation
• Letter from the San Deigo Center for the Blind
• Letter from the San Diego Regional Center
• Veterans Administration Card with picture (must say "service connected" on the card)

If you have a question as to whether your information is acceptable to verify disability, please call The Transit Store (619 234-1060) between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Temporary ID's are issued to individuals with a limited term disability for a period of six months, with one six month extension.

Naturally, if you use a trained service animal you are both welcome on board all buses and rail vehicles at all times.

For complete information on applying for a MTS Disabled ID Card, click here to read and download our brochure, "ID Card Application for Individuals with Disabilities." You can print and fill out the "Applicant Information" section and bring it, along with proper ID and verification of disability, to The Transit Store to obtain your MTS Disabled ID Card.

Other Accommodations for Senior, Disabled and Medicare recipient Riders

The front of every Bus and areas next to each Trolley door have priority seating for our Senior and Disabled riders.

All Buses, Trolleys and the Coaster trains have lift or ramp mechanisms to assist customers in wheelchairs or with other mobility impairments to board. The international symbol of accessibility is on Bus stops that are accessible to operate the ramp or lift. All Trolley stations are wheelchair accessible. All Coaster stations are wheelchair accessible. Most of our newer buses are low floor buses, which means that there are no steps to climb to enter the bus.

Most buses also have a "kneeling" feature that allows the front of the bus to lower towards the curb, easing the first step into the bus. "Kneeling" buses are designated at the front door.

If you need to use the lift, or have the bus "kneel", be sure and ask the driver when he or she opens the door. We'll be happy to assist you in using these features. Trolley conductors also welcome the opportunity to assist you.

We'll relay transit information via teletype service from 5:30 a.m. to 8:20 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on weekends and 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on holidays, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

MTS ACCESS & ADA SUBURBAN help people with disabilities get around

MTS Access/ADA Suburban Riders Guide

MTS Access Frequently Asked Questions Brochure

What is MTS Access/ADA Suburban Paratransit?

Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) Paratransit is a lift-equipped Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 curb-to-curb service designed for transit riders with disabilities that prevent them from using regular bus or trolley services.

For travel between service zones, transferring to another vehicle will be required, just as you would transfer on the MTS bus and trolley network of services.

In compliance with the ADA, MTS ADA Paratransit provides services to the same areas and during the same days and hours of service that the MTS fixed route and trolley operate.

Both the rider and trip plan must be eligible before a reservation can be made. For the rider, this means that they must be personally certified to use ADA Paratransit due to a disability that prevents them from using regular bus or trolley services. For this trip, this means that both the origin and destination of the trip you wish to make are within 3/4 mile of an operating fixed route bus or trolley station.

FARES

Urban

     Central San Diego (Zone 1)

           Provider                                                   Cash Fare

           MTS Access                                               $4.50

           (888) 517-9627                                        (One-Way)

Suburban

     Mid-County (Zone 2)

     East County (Zone 3)

     South Bay (Zone 4)

           Provider                                                   Cash Fare

           Suburban ADA Paratransit                         $3.50

           (800) 921-9664                                         (One-Way)

To make fare payment easier, you can buy in advance a $45.00 10-pack ticket book for MTS Access or a $40.00 ticket book for ADA Suburban at:

The Transit Store
102 Broadway (at First Avenue)
Downtown San Diego
(619) 234-1060

The Transit Store accepts cash, checks, money orders, travelers checks, as well as Visa and Master Card credit cards.

If you'd prefer, you can also order your prepaid ticket booklets through the mail. Send a check or money order for the amount of booklets you would like, payable to SANDAG, along with a note specifying whether it's for MTS Access or ADA Suburban booklets to:

San Diego Association of Governments
Attn: Pass Sales
401 B Street, Suite 800
San Diego, CA 92101-4231

MAKING RESERVATIONS

To schedule a ride, call 1-888-517-9627 for MTS Access, or 1-800-921-9664 for ADA Suburban, any day between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (TTY/TDD: 1-800-568-7097).

Reservations are accepted from two days in advance up to 5:00 p.m. the day before travel. That means if you want to travel on a Monday, you can call to schedule your trip from 8:00 a.m. on Saturday up to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Be ready to provide your name, pick-up address, when you would like to travel, destination address, and if/when you would like to book a return trip.

Your reserved pick-up time will be within one hour of your request. Ride times are variable and can be as long as 60-90 minutes (depending on distance), so please keep this in mind when accepting a trip offer. For example, if you request an 8:00 a.m. pick-up, your trip offer may be between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Meanwhile, your arrival time will vary depending on your trip pick-up time plus the varying amount of time it may take to travel to your destination.

GETTING ADA CERTIFIED

Call 1-877-232-7433 to request a certification application. Mail the completed application, including the professional medical verification form, to the ADA Certification Office. The Office has 21 days from the date of receipt to process your application. A verification of certification status will be mailed to you. ADA Certification is required before you can make a trip reservation.

Download Certification Guides and Application Form

MTS Certification Guide for ADA Paratransit Service

Application Guide and Instructions

MTS Application for ADA Paratransit Service