Medical Transportation

Have an upcoming medical appointment and need to arrange how to get there? Review the following list of medical transportation services available in Tompkins County or search the Way2Go Transportation Directory. Please contact 211 or each service provider directly for more information or to request a ride.

Immediate Support

Medical Emergency? Call 9-1-1 immediately to have an ambulance at your side as soon as possible.

Other medical transportation needs? Call 211 to talk to a local expert who can help you find the best way to get to your medical appointments. You can also check out all the options available for medical trips below.

Medical Trip Service Providers

A&D Transport Services - adtransportservices.com
MAS eligible | Advance Notice Required
Provides medical transport in Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Fulton, Greene, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Oswego, Otsego, Schoharie, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties.

Air Care Alliance – aircarealliance.org
FREE | Advance Notice Required
There are over 60 groups of volunteer pilots across the nation that can provide flights in private planes to patients that need to travel up to 1000 miles away for their medical care. Submit your online request for assistance with the Air Care Alliance to be connected with the specific volunteer pilot organizations that can best meet your needs.

American Cancer Society Road to Recovery – (800) 227-2345
FREE | Door-to-Door | 5-Day Notice Minimum | Cancer Patients Only
Road to Recovery volunteers can take cancer patients for active cancer treatment appointments in or out of Tompkins County. Rides should be requested 5 business days in advance.

Bangs Ambulance – (607) 273-1161
Through-the-Door | Wheelchair Accessible
Call Bangs directly for non-emergency ambulance or wheelchair van transportation. Bangs may not be covered by insurance for non-emergency transportation.

Disabled American Veterans Volunteer Transportation Network – (607) 227-4975
FREE | Door-to-Door | Advance Notice Required | Veterans Only
Tompkins County veterans with medical appointments at the Syracuse VA Hospital, Freeville VA Clinic, or other VA-related appointments can leave a message with DAV volunteers at this number. Have your information ready and call as soon as possible to guarantee a ride.

ComfortKeepers – (607) 272-0444
Through-the-Door
In-home care specialists can provide through-the-door transportation to medical appointments and be there with you during your visit to take notes.

FISH - Friends in Service Helping – Call 2-1-1 or (877) 211-8667
FREE | Door-to-Door | 4-Day Notice Minimum
FISH volunteers provide rides and support to Tompkins County residents in need of medical and health-related services that are within the county.

Gadabout – (607) 273-1878
Low Cost | Door-to-Door | 2-Day Notice Minimum | Wheelchair Accessible
Door-to-door transportation service for people 60 and over, or for people with disabilities to go anywhere in Tompkins County, Monday to Friday 8 AM to 4 PM. Call Gadabout to reserve a ride at least two business days in advance. $2.00 per one-way trip within the City of Ithaca; $3.00 for trips that start or end outside city limits.

Evening and weekend service on Gadabout buses is provided only for people who are eligible for ADA Paratransit.

Southern Tier Care Coordination – (607) 272-4098
FREE | Door-to-Door | Advance Notice Required | HIV Positive Only
With the help of the Southern Tier AIDS Program (STAP), Southern Tier Care Coordination's Transportation Program can take you to appointments or pay for travel that is related to your HIV status. Call the Ithaca office to talk to a person about the program.

Veterans Transportation Service (Syracuse VA) – (607) 315-4400 ext. 52524
FREE or Low Cost | Advance Notice Required | Veterans Only Call this number to speak to a Syracuse VA Medical Center staff that can help arrange other transportation options for you, including reimbursements for mileage or bus tickets through the VA’s Beneficiary Travel program if you qualify.

Transit Hospital Connections

Cortland Transit – (607) 758-3383
Low Cost | Wheelchair Accessible
Cortland Transit offers weekday service to and from Cortland County with their twice-daily Route 7 with stops on the Cornell campus and a more frequent Route 6 with stops in Dryden and TC3. Outside the Cortland County Building, you can take other bus routes to reach local area clinics and hospitals.

CTRAN (Chemung Transit) – (607) 734-5211 or ridectran.com
Low Cost | Wheelchair Accessible
A twice-daily (Monday thru Friday) bus route is available to and from Chemung County through CTRAN on their Route 30, leaving Elmira’s bus station towards Ithaca at 6:15 AM and 3:00 PM and leaving Ithaca’s Seneca Street Station towards Elmira at 7:30 AM and 4:50 PM. At Elmira’s bus station, you can take other bus routes to reach local area clinics and hospitals.

TCAT – (607) 277-7433 or tcatbus.com
Low Cost | Wheelchair Accessible
Our local public transit system can take you there! Visit their website or call during business hours for detailed information on routes and times. $1.50 per trip from an urban or a rural area of Tompkins County, with half-fare available for eligible riders. Most buses go to Green Street Station by The Commons, where you can walk to downtown clinics, pick up paper schedules, and connect to other bus routes:

• Route 14: Cayuga Medical Center, Island Health and Fitness, Schuyler County Connection
• Route 31 and Route 32: Convenient Care
• Route 41*: Guthrie Clinic (* call TCAT at (607) 277-7433 at least one business day in advance to guarantee your ride on this on-demand bus)

If you are unable to use public transit due to a disability, you can use Gadabout during typical business hours (see below), or apply for ADA Paratransit for service on evenings and weekends.

Schuyler County Transit Route 6 - (607)535-3555

Route 6 will take you to Schuyler Hospital and Watkins Glen and connects with TCAT at two points in Tompkins County.  Connect to Route 6 at Cayuga Medical Center and at the Enfield park & ride. Plan your route using the Tompkins Schuyler Connections Map.

---

Financial Assistance for Medical Trips

The organizations below may be able to provide financial assistance for transportation if you qualify and with advance notice.

Angel Wheels to Healing – angelwheels.org
A national non-profit charity that can help cover the costs for long-distance ground transportation for people who need medical care. They may be able to provide gas cards, bus tickets, or train tickets depending on where you are going. Requests are only accepted through their easy online request form.

Catholic Charities Samaritan Center – (607) 272-5062
When available, Catholic Charities may be able to offer bus passes and gas vouchers for medical and work-related transportation to those who live in Tompkins County and qualify for assistance. Call the number above and ask for the “Samaritan Center.”

National Patient Travel Center – (800) 296-1217 or patienttravel.org
Call the National Patient Travel Helpline and they will connect you to the most appropriate charitable medical transportation program that can meet your long-distance travel needs, whether that’s by bus or by plane.

Tompkins County Medicaid – (607) 274-5343
Depending on your situation, you may be able to apply for Medicaid to help you cover medical expenses, including transportation. Call the local Medicaid office to learn about your health insurance options. You may be able to cover long-distance taxi rides by reimbursement if you qualify.

Veterans Transportation Service (Syracuse VA) – (607) 315-4400 ext. 52524
Call this number to speak to a Syracuse VA Medical Center staff that can help arrange other transportation options for you, including reimbursements for mileage or bus tickets through the VA’s Beneficiary Travel program if you qualify.

Last updated March 14, 2024