What types of trips may seniors use Getting There Ride Share?
Passengers may utilize Getting There Ride Share for shopping, religious services, social outings, medical appointments and most every day-to-day activity.
When are rides available?
Getting There Ride Share provides rides daily depending on the availability of volunteer drivers. The office is closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. The ride request schedule is adjusted during those holidays.
Will Getting There Ride Share provide transportation to destinations outside of the county?
Yes, requests for rides to Baltimore, Cecil County and southern Pennsylvania areas are accepted. Our maximum one way driving distance is TBD from passenger pick up. Please schedule these longer distance rides as early as possible, as there are fewer volunteer drivers able to do long distance rides.
What information is needed before using Getting There Ride Share?
Passengers complete a Passenger Registration form (see Forms tab) with the following information: name, birth date, address, phone number, emergency contact information, special pick-up instructions and information regarding any pertinent physical limitations. This information is entered in Getting There Ride Share’s confidential database. Each passenger must complete and sign a Passenger Waiver form.
When can passengers schedule their first ride?
Passengers can schedule their first ride once the Getting There Ride Share office has accepted their completed and signed Passenger Registration and Passenger Waiver forms and payment is cleared. (See #11 below: How do passengers pay the fees associated with their trips?) Rides are limited to twelve each month.
If a spouse, friend or assistant accompanies a passenger, is there an additional fee?
No. If the spouse, friend or assistant is traveling from the same location and traveling to the same destination only one ride fee will be charged. However, each passenger must sign and complete a Passenger Waiver form which must be received by the Getting There Ride Share office before the ride can be scheduled.
Where will passengers be picked up and dropped off?
Passengers are transported door to door by volunteer drivers in their personal vehicles. For liability reasons, drivers may not accompany passengers into their homes or into homes passengers are visiting.
Will Getting There Ride Share be able to accommodate all ride requests?
Getting There Ride Share will make every effort to accommodate ride requests. However, assignments are limited by the availability of our volunteer drivers. If a driver is able to take the ride, Getting There Ride Share will contact the passenger to confirm the details. When Getting There Ride Share is unable to provide a driver, the passenger is notified the day before the ride date.
*Note: We are unable to accommodate individuals using wheel chairs or persons having anesthesia for a medical procedure.
How do passengers schedule a ride?
Passengers must provide the pick-up time, appointment time, number of passengers and the complete destination address, zip code, telephone number and estimated return trip time. For medical appointments to the doctor’s name, group practice name, and phone number are needed.
Passengers are required to contact the Getting There Ride Share office by phone at (410) 836-3005 at least three (3) business days in advance to schedule trip(s). In order to allow time to find a volunteer driver, please request rides as soon as the date the ride needed is known. The call day chart follows:
| Call Day | First Available Ride Day |
| Monday | Thursday |
| Tuesday | Friday, Saturday or Sunday |
| Wednesday | Monday |
| Thursday | Tuesday |
| Friday | Wednesday |
Office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon and Tuesday, Thursday, 12 Noon to 3:00 PM. Messages left on the answering machine M-F after business hours are returned the next business day. Messages left over the weekend are returned on Monday.
Will fees be charged for rides?
Yes, fees are based on a zip code system. See below:
| Zone | Fare |
| Within one zip code | $5.00/roundtrip |
| To other zip codes in Harford County | $6.00/roundtrip |
| To other jurisdictions in Maryland | TBD (case by case basis) |
How do passengers pay the fees associated with their trips?
Passengers are expected to pre-pay for services on a per-ride basis or by establishing a transportation account that can be debited and replenished as needed. Family members may “gift” rides to their senior relatives by contributing to the passenger’s transportation account. Checks should be made payable to the “Wilson Ministry Center”, and mailed to: Getting There Ride Share, 1024 Main Street, Darlington, MD 21034.
What if I only need a one-way ride?
Getting There Ride Share accommodates one-way ride requests. The fare is the same as for a round-trip ride.
Are tolls and parking costs included in Getting There Ride Share fees?
No, passengers are expected to pay for tolls and parking on the day of the ride.
Should passengers tip their drivers?
No, it is against Getting There Ride Share policy for our volunteers to accept tips.
How will passengers be able to identify their Getting There Ride Share drivers?
Drivers have magnetized Getting There Ride Share signs on the passenger side of their vehicles and wear picture ID.
What if a passenger is running late or wants to make an unscheduled stop?
Drivers are not permitted to make unscheduled stops. Because drivers may be scheduled for multiple rides, it is important that passengers meet them at the pre-arranged time and place for pick-up as well as for return trips. Medical appointments vary in length; please try to estimate for the longest visit time.
One additional stop between the pickup and destination can be requested at the time the ride is requested. If an additional stop is needed in another zone, there will be an additional fee.
What if a passenger needs to cancel a scheduled trip?
Please cancel a scheduled trip as early as possible so the volunteer driver can be notified. Payments will be refunded by crediting the passenger’s transportation account.
What is Getting There Ride Shares inclement weather policy?
To ensure the safety of our drivers and passengers, either the driver or the passenger may cancel a ride by calling the office. In questionable weather, even if the driver is willing to drive, the driver will contact the passenger to confirm that he/she still wants the ride. If the ride is cancelled, the driver will contact the Getting There Ride Share office.
If possible, the Getting There Ride Share office will remain open to handle notification of cancellations. Payments for cancelled rides are refunded by crediting the passenger’s account.
How do drivers obtain a driving record?
A copy of a driving record can be obtained by going applying online at: http://www.mva.maryland.gov/ or going to:
MVA, Bel Air – Full Service
501 West MacPhail Road (off Route 24, 1/2 mile south of Route 1)
Bel Air, MD 21014
How can passengers comment on their experiences with Getting There Ride Share?
Feedback is given on Getting There Ride Share service post cards. These post cards will be mailed to passengers after their first ride and every 6 months thereafter.
May I donate to Getting There Ride Share to help ensure services will always be available?
Absolutely! Donations are gratefully accepted; your tax-deductible contribution may be mailed to the office. You may also consider a Legacy Gift for Getting There Ride Share, made payable to the Wilson Ministry Center.
Getting There Ride Share 