Need a Ride?
Transportation is vital to helping our community rise.
Ride United Transportation Access (RUTA), offered by United Way of West Tennessee in partnership with Lyft, helps eligible Jackson residents access transportation for essential needs—from medical appointments and employment to education, food and housing services.
Where Can Ride United Take You?
Economic Stability
Essential supplies • Financial coaching • Records • Tax preparation • Transportation services
Education
School • Classes • Daycare • Enrollment • Library/internet access
Employment
Work • Job interviews • Pre-employment needs • Technology access
Food
Food pantries • Grocery stores • Prepared meals • SNAP/WIC access
Health
Medical/dental/eye care • Mental health support • Pharmacy services • Veterans services
Housing
Housing benefits/assistance • Emergency shelter • Utility assistance
Legal
Court proceedings • Legal counsel • Community service • Probation/parole • Record expungement
Disaster
Cooling/warming centers • Temporary shelter • Food/water access • Essential services
Am I Eligible?
You may qualify for Ride United if:
✓ You are a Madison County resident
✓ You can provide address verification
✓ The primary rider is 18 or older (riders under 18 must be accompanied by an adult)
✓ Your ride begins in Madison County
✓ Your trip is for an approved Ride United purpose
All rides must originate in Madison County. Requests to destinations outside Madison County are denied.
How It Works
- Request a ride pass (complete the online form).
- We review your request (during operating hours).
- Use your Lyft Ride code.
Important Things to Know
Ride United is intended as short-term transportation assistance while riders work toward sustainable transportation. Rides are free or discounted up to the value of the issued promo code; riders are responsible for costs exceeding that value.
- Ride codes must be used for the approved purpose.
- Multiple stops are not permitted.
- Ride codes cannot be transferred, sold, or used by another rider.
- Riders must provide their own car or booster seat for children who require one.
- A backup payment method must be connected to the rider’s Lyft account.
- Ride United covers up to $27 per trip. Riders are responsible for any cost above the $27 allowance.
- Rides canceled after a driver has been dispatched may result in a $3–$5 cancellation fee.
- Requests submitted after hours and on weekends/holidays will be reviewed on the next business day.
Policies & Privacy
All clients are expected to treat drivers, program staff, and fellow passengers with respect and dignity. The following behaviors will not be tolerated and may result in immediate suspension or permanent removal from the program:
- physical or verbal abuse, threats, or harassment of any kind.
- destruction of property or disruptive behavior that interferes with service
- use of drugs, alcohol, or other illegal substances while utilizing service
- any action that endangers the safety of the driver, other passengers, or program staff
The Ride United Transportation Program does not discriminate in the provision of services. No individual will be denied access based on race, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Our goal is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all riders. By participating in this program, clients agree to adhere to these policies. Failure to comply may result in loss of access to Ride United Services.
- In order to participate in the Ride United program, you must consent to this Ride United privacy policy.
- We collect personal information you provide to us. By personal information we mean information that is identifiable to you, such as name, address, phone number and date of birth.
- We collect information on participants’ income, employment, benefit enrollment and other demographic data.
- We collect information on the trips you take through Ride United, such as pickup and drop off locations, time and length of trip, cost of the trip and the reason for the trip.
- We use your personal information to provide and to improve our services.
- We may share the information we collect with partner organizations and service providers for the purpose of:
- Monitoring program use and improving the program.
- Ensuring that participants are able to access requested resources and services.
- Providing referrals for other valuable resources, services and information.
- We may also disclose information to third parties, such as affiliate organizations, service providers, when under legal compulsion, or as otherwise allowed by law.
- We attempt to implement reasonable security procedures to protect your information and we try to contract with vendors who do the same.
- We keep your personal information for as long as we believe we need it and for as long as the law allows us to keep it.
- You can access and make changes to your personal information under certain circumstances.
211 and Ride United are separate programs. 211 provides information and referral services to connect individuals with local resources, while Ride United is a transportation assistance initiative. Participation in one program does not guarantee eligibility for the other.
Ready to Request a Ride?
Questions about Ride United?
Contact: sbates@unitedway.tn.org
Monday - Thursday | 8am-5pm