\nSeniors in West and Northeast Philadelphia can now benefit from free Uber rides.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe rideshare company announced Monday that it is partnering with Northeast Philly-based nonprofit KleinLife to replicate a pilot program it began with West Philadelphia\u2019s ACHIEVEability during the height of SEPTA\u2019s service cuts in the fall.\n<\/p>\n
MORE:\u00a0This new, free concert series aims to spice up Philly’s nightlife on weeknights<\/a><\/p>\n With the Senior Ride Program, anyone 60 and older can use the Uber mobile app or call KleinLife\u00a0or\u00a0ACHIEVEability\u00a0to schedule free transportation. Rides are offered for trips to doctor\u2019s appointments, community centers, grocery stores and pharmacies.<\/p>\n \nInna Gulko, director of senior services with KleinLife, said the community resource organization was given $10,000 for trips near its site in Bustleton. Rides can be coordinated by calling its transportation coordinator at 215-698-7300 ext. 129.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cLack of reliable transportation is a significant barrier to independence for many of our members,\u201d Andre Krug, president and CEO of KleinLife, said in a statement. \u201cThis partnership with Uber allows us to bridge that gap, ensuring that Northeast Philadelphia seniors have a safe and dependable way to reach their doctors, visit our center and maintain their quality of life.\u201d\n<\/p>\n In the fall, Uber partnered with ACHIEVEability and the Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation to fill in transit gaps for seniors while SEPTA service was in a state of flux,<\/a> providing nearly 1,000 rides to over 300 customers.\n<\/p>\n \nThe partnership with ACHIEVEability will continue for a limited time starting Monday. Representatives with the organization and Uber did not respond to a request for comment about the amount of money remaining in the West Philadelphia program, but Uber spokesperson Jazmin Kay said the company has allocated over $50,000 to the program since last fall.\n<\/p>\n The expansion of the initiative has been in the works since early this year, Kay said.<\/p>\n \n\u201cAfter seeing the success of this program in other parts of the city, I knew we needed to bring these resources to our neighborhoods,\u201d state Rep. Sean Dougherty, who represents Northeast Philly, said in a statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n