Note on market coverage: This article covers resources in both Korea and the United States. Each piece of information is labeled 🇰🇷 Korea or 🇺🇸 U.S. in the text to indicate which country it applies to.
There is a worry that tends to surface only after you have already made the medical appointment: "How am I going to get my parent there?" Public transit feels overwhelming, taxis are expensive, and it is not always possible for a family member to take time off. And yet programs designed to solve exactly this problem already exist — in Korea and in the United States alike. The gap is not between knowing these programs exist and knowing nothing at all; it is between knowing they exist and knowing where and how to apply. This article aims to close that gap.
🇰🇷 Korea Transportation assistance in Korea falls into two main categories: 특별교통수단 (specialized transit vehicles) and 바우처택시 (voucher taxis). 특별교통수단 are dedicated vehicles equipped with wheelchair lifts, primarily serving people with severe mobility disabilities and adults aged 65 or older who use a wheelchair. 바우처택시 can be used by adults aged 65 or older who have difficulty using public transit even without a wheelchair, making it accessible to a broader group of people. Both services require advance registration with the 교통약자이동지원센터 (mobility-support center for transportation-disadvantaged persons) in your area of residence. Because neither service can be called on the day you need it without prior registration, it is important to prepare ahead of time.
🇰🇷 Korea The application process works as follows. First, visit your local 시·군·구청 (city, county, or district office) or community welfare center, or contact your regional mobility-support center to confirm eligibility. Second, gather the required documents — your ID, 장애인등록증 (disability registration card, if applicable), a physician's diagnosis, and any other materials requested — and submit a user registration application. Third, once your eligibility has been reviewed and approved, you can book vehicles by phone, website, or mobile app. Residents of Daejeon, Sejong, and North Chungcheong Province can use the integrated reservation system at 1599-8881; residents of other regions must register individually with the mobility-support center in their area. A directory of centers nationwide is available on the 국가교통약자이동지원시스템 (DTIS) website. The number of trips allowed varies by municipality; some areas cap usage at 4 trips per day and 60 trips per month, so it is worth confirming the limits with your local center in advance.
🇰🇷 Korea Use of these services has grown noticeably in recent years. In Gyeonggi Province, following the rollout of the Gyeonggi-type 바우처택시 platform, the total number of trips taken across both 특별교통수단 and 바우처택시 rose from 17,030 in 2024 to 24,510 in 2025 — an increase of approximately 44%. As demand has grown, several local governments including Uijeongbu, Paju, and Jeonju have added vehicles to their fleets, and wait times are gradually improving as a result.
🇺🇸 U.S. In the United States, transportation assistance is not provided through a single channel; instead, multiple pathways exist depending on your purpose and eligibility. Three are worth keeping in mind. The first is Medicaid NEMT (Non-Emergency Medical Transportation). Under federal regulation 42 CFR 431.53, anyone enrolled in Medicaid is entitled to free medical transportation in every state. It can be requested when you need to reach a Medicaid-covered health service — such as a visit to a primary care physician, dialysis, or a mental health appointment — and have no other means of getting there. To apply, call the number printed on your Medicaid card.
🇺🇸 U.S. The second option is ADA paratransit. When a disability prevents someone from using a fixed-route bus, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires local public transit agencies to provide a comparable door-to-door pickup service. Eligibility is based on disability status, not age, and the fare cannot exceed twice the standard bus fare. To apply, submit an application to your local transit agency and undergo a medical documentation review. The third option is transportation programs offered by Area Agencies on Aging (AAA). Title III-B of the Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. § 3030) requires each local AAA to spend an appropriate share of its budget on access services — including transportation — for adults aged 60 and older. There is no income requirement, so people who do not receive Medicaid are also eligible. Beyond medical appointments, these programs can assist with everyday trips such as grocery shopping and social activities. Call the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) or dial 211 to be connected with the AAA and transportation programs in your area.
With any of these programs, the hardest part is not the application itself — it is simply not knowing the program exists. When a parent begins going out less, that may not be a matter of motivation. More often than one might expect, a loss of transportation leads directly to social isolation and declining health. Every program described in this article requires an application before it can help you. Checking whether your family qualifies is already a significant first step. Sierra Care Advisor is here to help you look at both Korean and American care programs together, and to find the right first contact for your parent's specific situation.
Sources: Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation press release (March 2026); Newspim and Bridge Economy articles on expanded mobility support in Uijeongbu and Paju (2025–2026); Jiwonzip (jiwonzip.kr) guide to disability call-taxi applications (2026); 국가교통약자이동지원시스템 (DTIS) mobility-support center directory; Brevy Senior Transportation guide (2026); seniorsaudit.com NEMT guide (updated October 2026); Older Americans Act (42 U.S.C. § 3030) Title III-B; U.S. federal regulation 42 CFR § 431.53 (Medicaid NEMT); Eldercare Locator (acl.gov).
This article was compiled by AI from the sources cited above. We strive for accuracy, but for decisions about your specific situation, please confirm the latest guidance from a professional or the relevant agency.
Note: This article was compiled by AI from the sources cited above. We strive for accuracy, but for decisions about your specific situation, please confirm the latest guidance from a professional or the relevant agency.