San Francisco’s Access for All providers recently launched their services! Individuals with disabilities can now request accessible rides through two different companies. Visit their websites, Tower Mobility SF webpage and Fog City Access webpage to learn more.
Overview
In July 2021, the SFMTA was designated as the Local Access for All Administrator (LAFA) to manage the distribution of San Francisco’s Access for All funds. These funds are generated from the $0.10 fee applied to all ride-hail trips within San Francisco County. Each fiscal year, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) provides the SFMTA with the funds collected from Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) to support services that improve access to on-demand wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) trips. For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the SFMTA allocated $4,045,161 to three providers—Tower Mobility, Via, and Green Cab—through a competitive solicitation process.
San Francisco Program Priorities
In the first solicitation process launched March 2024, the SFMTA engaged with local stakeholders and advocates from the disability community to determine their key priorities for access providers in San Francisco. In addition to the statewide goals to improve completion rates and response times for WAV services and general availability of WAVs, conversations with working groups identified the following priorities for the local Access for All providers:
- Increase availability of WAV services during weekends, late night hours, and to/from outlying areas of San Francisco
- Ensure comprehensive driver training protocols related to disability sensitivity, passenger assistance, and wheelchair securement
- Enable centralized mobile applications and/or phone numbers that are accessible to all users, including riders and drivers, that does not impose a fee for use
- Expand availability of accessible vehicles in service, including spare vehicles
- Improve outreach to San Francisco short-term visitors and tourists requiring on-demand accessible service
Current Access Providers
Award Amount: $1,496,000
Service Scope: Tower Mobility will operate a WAV service with 4 wheelchair accessible vehicles, servicing trips between 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM seven days a week. For trips falling outside of normal service hours, 10:00 PM – 6:00 AM, riders can request rides on a pre-arranged basis.
Tower Mobility services will focus on the northern and western portions of San Francisco. To see the service area and how to book a ride with Tower, please visit the Tower Mobility SF webpage and register your account. The service area includes Richmond, Sunset, and Lake Merced neighborhoods, allowing riders to be picked up and/or dropped off in these zones as shown below.
Pick-Up and Drop-Off: within the Yellow Zone or to and from the Yellow and Blue Zones on the map. Tower Mobility currently does not service rides with either Pick-Up or Drop-Off outside of the Yellow and Blue Zones.
To book a ride now, either create an account on the service website, download the Transit SF app on iOS or Android stores (scan the QR code below to download), or call 415-594-7759 for phone booking.
Current Status: Launched January 21, 2025
For any questions related to the service, please email Tower at sfo@towermobility.com
Award Amount: $1,828,476
Service Scope: Via will operate a WAV service, named “Fog City Access”, with 6 wheelchair accessible vehicles servicing trips between 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM seven days a week.
Fog City Access will focus on the southern and eastern portions of San Francisco. To see the service area and how to book a ride with Fog City Access, please visit the Fog City Access webpage. The service area includes Ingleside, Excelsior, and Portola neighborhoods, providing access to possible destinations like the Sunset Branch Public Library, City College of San Francisco, and SF General Hospital as shown below.
To book a ride now, either download the Fog City Access app available on iOS and Android stores (scan the QR code below to download) or call 628-265-5192 for phone booking.
Current Status: Anticipated launch March 17, 2025
For any questions related to the service, please email Via at support-fogcityaccess@ridewithvia.com
Green Cab
Award Amount: $113,705
Service Scope: GreenCab will utilize awarded Access for All funds to acquire, own, and operate one ramp taxi that will provide WAV services throughout San Francisco
Current Status: Not yet launched
Project Background
Since 2013, ride-hail companies, also known as Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), are increasingly visible on San Francisco’s streets. While the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates these services, the SFMTA pays close attention to the impact they have on our broader transportation network and services.
San Francisco is proud to support the TNC Access for All Act, which was signed into law in 2018 by Senate Bill 1376. The bill requires the CPUC to develop regulations relating to accessibility for persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users who need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV). The goal of this bill is to expand and improve on-demand WAV transportation in California.
Senate Bill 1376 created a financial incentive for TNCs to increase accessibility by imposing a $0.10 per-trip fee on all TNC rides in the state. The funds from this fee are then used to reimburse ride-hailing companies for their investments in improving WAV access on their platforms.
Any remaining funds not claimed by TNCs are set aside by the CPUC in a fund called the Access Fund. Unclaimed funds are then transferred to Local Access for All Administrators (LAFAs) in proportion to the funds generated within the region. LAFAs distribute these funds to local access providers who offer services that directly provide on-demand WAV services. SFMTA is the designated LAFA for San Francisco County.
Future Funding
The SFMTA was allocated $1,713,063 in Local Access Funds for FY 24-25. We will distribute these funds to local access providers through a competitive solicitation process. The RFP for FY 24-25 funds is anticipated to launch in Fall 2025.
More Information
To understand how the statewide Access for All program is performing, please visit our Access for All dashboards which feature monthly updates on service-related metrics.
For more information on the Access for All Program, please visit the CPUC’s TNC Access for All website.
To see other wheelchair-accessible services the SFMTA operates or helps to coordinate that fit your needs, please visit our Accessibility for All webpage.