San Diego’s Hidden Ride: Human Services Transportation

AARP is working to build livable communities — places where people of all ages and life stages can thrive, with safe walkable streets, housing and transportation options that meet changing needs, access to essential services and opportunities to stay socially connected. This work is increasingly urgent. By 2030, 1 in 5 Americans will be over the age of 65, and by 2034 the U.S. will have more older adults than children.

Transportation is a cornerstone of livability, especially in a sprawling region like San Diego, where driving is often the default. But when older adults and people with disabilities can’t or choose not to drive, losing mobility can mean losing access to health care, groceries, pharmacies and social connections that protect their health and well-being. Without reliable alternatives, families and caregivers face greater burdens and periods of isolation and missed care increase, jeopardizing long-term health.

That’s why AARP California is taking a close look at Human Services Transportation (HST) in the San Diego region. HST is a critical network of accessible, often low-cost ride options designed to help older adults, people with disabilities and residents with low incomes get to essential destinations. Yet, the system can be difficult to navigate. The ability to effectively use these services varies widely by jurisdiction, eligibility and service-area boundaries that differ across regions. These factors, coupled with low public awareness, can make HST effectively "invisible" to people who could benefit most and can create real barriers when trips require crossing city boundaries.

To better understand what’s working and where there are opportunities for improvement, AARP California conducted research with San Diego residents age 40-plus and engaged service providers and stakeholders across the region. The goal is to identify practical solutions to strengthen awareness, reliability, coordination and funding of HST services so they can better support older adults today and keep up with San Diego’s rapidly growing aging population.

The AARP survey of over 2,000 San Diego residents age 40+ found that:

• 93% of respondents drive themselves today.
• 82% would feel stressed if they could no longer use their current transportation for shopping, medical appointments or socializing.
• If they couldn’t use their primary mode of transportation, 44% would rely on others for rides and 26% would use rideshare (Lyft/Uber).
• Only 13% would use a special transportation service, and 6% would take public transportation.
• 43% of respondents said they were unaware of HST services.

Once HST was explained:

• 72% said they would be open to using HST if or when they could no longer use their primary transportation.
• 38% were not confident the HST system would work for them.
• Top concerns included reliability, scheduling and cost.

HST feedback:

Approximately 1 in 10 older San Diego residents currently use HST, most often for medical appointments or social engagements a few times a year. Older residents report being more likely to use Lyft/Uber or taxi options covered by a subsidy or voucher than a senior shuttle service or nonemergency medical transport.

• Fewer than half (47%) of HST riders were satisfied with current services.
• Common complaints include limited service, long waits, arrival delays or cancellations.

If a new transportation system were built to be centralized, flexible and responsive, with on-demand rides for everyone:

• 83% of respondents who do not currently use HST said they would try it.
• Among current HST users, 66% said they would be inclined to use a new, centralized system.

What is next?

Along with this survey, AARP California, with support from volunteers and staff, engaged HST stakeholders and service providers across the San Diego region to better understand how services are funded, coordinated and delivered. Providers shared real-world challenges that shape rider experience, including:

• Funding constraints and sustainability concerns.
• Coordination challenges across programs and jurisdictions.
• Vehicle maintenance, replacement cycles and fleet capacity.

HST is a complex, interwoven system — spanning funding, providers, technology and jurisdictional role. Meaningful change will take time and sustained coordination.

AARP California is committed to working with volunteers and partners to develop practical, scalable solutions that make Human Services Transportation easier to understand, access and trust. Identifying feasible improvements, prioritizing high-impact actions and adapting strategies to an evolving transportation landscape, one that includes rideshare growth and emerging autonomous vehicle technologies, will be of particular focus.

Would you like to help shape the future of transportation? Join us! Share your ideas, volunteer or learn more about how you can make a difference by emailing Israel Hernandez at ihernandez@aarp.org.

Methodology

The findings come from an online survey of 2,141 San Diego residents ages 40 to 99 conducted in May 2025. The data were weighted to reflect the San Diego voter file of adults age 40 and older.

For more information, please contact Joanne Binette at jbinette@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.