WALNUT CREEK, Calif., April 17, 2018 – CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, has provided a total of $140,000 to three Bay Area nonprofits serving the elderly to start pilot programs offering safe and reliable ridesharing services to local seniors.

The goal of the pilots, which run through July 2018, is to test different senior-friendly ridesharing business models to find long-term transportation solutions for older Americans.

Many studies show that older people who've stopped driving for age-related reasons feel their quality of life has diminished. Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that seniors who give up driving are almost twice as likely to experience depression and nearly five times as likely to enter long-term care facilities. Older, non-drivers make fewer medical appointments, shop less and engage in fewer social and religious activities than their driving peers, according to the American Public Transportation Association.

While public transit options exist in most Bay Area cities, many older residents struggle with navigating steps and walking long distances that taking a bus or BART might require. On-demand services such as Lyft and Uber require an app, which prevents seniors without smartphones from using them. And, even those who do have smartphones, often need extra help using the apps. As a result, many seniors are being left behind by the super convenient car-sharing services that have become household names among younger generations.

CSAA Insurance Group is working with Institute on Aging, Life ElderCare and Little Brother Friends of the Elderly to make popular ride-hailing services viable transportation options for older Bay Area residents.

In addition to having live operators dispatch and route rides for seniors, the nonprofits offer extra assistance to make sure seniors complete their rides safely and successfully. Similar senior-friendly, ride-hailing services exist in many cities, but they tend to be expensive. Life ElderCare is offering its "VIP Zip" on-demand, ridesharing services to all Alameda County residents who are age 60 and older or disabled for the cost of the Uber or Lyft fare with no added charges. It will subsidize rides for low-income residents. The Institute on Aging and Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly ridesharing programs are free and available to their clients.

"Finding ways to help seniors stay active and independent for as long as safely possible is essential to building healthy communities," said Vanessa Chan, senior manager of corporate responsibility for CSAA Insurance Group. "We're honored to partner with these Bay Area nonprofits devoted to senior advocacy to help create transportation solutions for older people and their families."

With roughly 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, the need to provide mobility options to older people who want to stop driving or drive less is a top priority for many U.S. communities.

The ridesharing pilots will address a service need in the area, while also introducing older residents to myriad other services offered by these nonprofits that alleviate isolation and contribute to a happier way of life for the elderly in our communities.