Regional Travel Assistance
Don’t Let a Ride Stand Between You and Life-Saving Care
Accessing the best cancer treatment often requires traveling to appointments, treatment centers, or specialists outside your immediate area. For many patients, transportation is a barrier, but it shouldn’t be. Whether you need a ride across town or assistance getting to a clinic in another city, there are trusted nonprofit programs that offer free or low-cost transportation by car, bus, or train. On this page, you’ll find a list of national and regional services dedicated to helping cancer patients and caregivers get to the care they need, regardless of age, ability, or financial situation.
While this list includes national programs, many hospitals and local organizations also offer transportation assistance or can help you connect with nearby options. If you don’t find a program that fits your needs here, consider speaking with your hospital social worker, insurance provider, or cancer support groups to discover additional local resources.
Treatment Support At Every Stage
Free & Low-Cost Rides to Appointments
American Cancer Society – Road to Recovery
Provides free rides to and from cancer treatment appointments with the help of trained volunteer drivers. Availability varies by region depending on volunteer supply. For more information, visit the website or call 800-227-2345.
CancerCare Financial Assistance Program
Provides limited financial assistance for treatment-related transportation based on demonstrated financial need. For more information, visit the website or call 800-813-4673.
Hospital or Cancer Center Transportation Programs
Many hospitals and treatment centers offer shuttle vans, cab vouchers, or rideshare partnerships like Uber Health or Lyft. Ask the hospital’s social worker or patient navigator directly for availability. For more information, ask your hospital’s social worker or patient navigator.
Interfaith Caregivers
Provides door-to-door transportation for seniors (65+) and people with disabilities to medical appointments, grocery stores, and other essential destinations. For more information, visit giftofalift.org or call 856-354-0298.
Independent Transportation Network (ITN) America
Provides door-to-door rides for seniors (age 60+) and visually impaired adults. Rides are arm-in-arm and given by trained volunteers in their personal vehicles. For more information, visit itnamerica.org or call (207) 857-9001
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – Patient Aid Program
Helps eligible patients with leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma cover the cost of gas and parking related to outpatient treatment. For more information, visit the website or call 800-955-4572.
Local Paratransit Services
Cities and counties offer shared-ride paratransit vans for seniors and people with disabilities. These are usually low-cost, door-to-door services. For more information, contact your local public transit authority.
Lotsa Helping Hands / CaringBridge / CareFlash
Online platforms that help families coordinate transportation and support from friends, neighbors, and local volunteers. Ideal for organizing rides around treatment schedules.
For more information, visit lotsahelpinghands.com, caringbridge.org, or careflash.com.
Lyft Healthcare (NEMT)
Partners with healthcare systems and Medicaid brokers to offer non-emergency medical transportation for patients. Services include curb-to-curb and assisted ride options.
For more information, visit lyft.com/healthcare or contact your healthcare provider or insurance company to see if they offer this service.
Medicaid Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT)
Most state Medicaid programs offer free or low-cost rides to medical appointments through approved brokers like Modivcare, MTM, or LogistiCare. For more information, contact your state Medicaid office.
Mercy Medical Angels
Provides transportation support for medically stable patients through bus/train tickets, gas cards, and volunteer pilot flights. Also offers help with commercial air travel. For more information, visit mercymedical.org or call 757-318-9174.
Modivcare
A major transportation broker that partners with Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans to provide non-emergency medical rides, often free to eligible patients. For more information, visit modivcare.com or contact your healthcare provider or insurance company to see if they offer this service.
MTM, Inc.
A national broker that manages non-emergency transportation benefits for Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and other health plans. Provides rides via car, van, or public transit. For more information, visit mtm-inc.net or contact your healthcare provider or insurance company to see if they offer this service.
National Volunteer Caregiving Network (NVCN)
Supports a nationwide network of over 1,000 local programs offering volunteer caregiving services, with transportation to medical appointments as the most in-demand service. For more information, visit nvcnetwork.org or call 512-582-2197.
Uber Health
A HIPAA-compliant rideshare service that allows healthcare providers to schedule non-emergency rides for patients, including those without a smartphone or app.
For more information, visit uberhealth.com or contact your healthcare provider or insurance company to see if they offer this service.
VA Beneficiary Travel Program
Offers mileage reimbursement or arranged transportation (e.g., shuttle, car, bus) for eligible veterans traveling to VA medical appointments. For more information, visit the website or contact your VA facility’s travel office.
Recommend a Resource
Every member of the Open Impacts community brings a unique set of knowledge and experiences that can contribute to our mission of empowering cancer patients through shared insights and resources. If you know of any other resources that could be helpful to our community, please share them by emailing us at support@openimpacts.com.
