Can I get discounted Lyft rides with CalFresh EBT? Need transportation options

i think u heard wrong lol. ebt is for food only cant use for lyft

Oh really? That's disappointing 😞 The person seemed so sure about it. Are there any transportation benefits I can get with CalFresh?

EBT cards themselves don't directly give Lyft discounts, but some areas have special programs for low-income residents that include transportation assistance. What county are you in? For example, Los Angeles has a program called EBT for Transit that offers discounted public transportation for CalFresh recipients. Also, check with your county's CalFresh office - some counties have transportation assistance programs specifically for people who need rides to work, medical appointments, or to pick up groceries. These aren't technically part of CalFresh benefits but are supplemental services for the same population.

I'm in Sacramento County. I'll definitely call and ask about transportation assistance programs! I didn't know different counties might have different benefits like that. Thanks for the info!

The person might have been talking about a special pilot program or a local initiative? I've never heard of an official statewide EBT-Lyft program, but some nonprofit organizations partner with rideshare companies to offer discounted rides in certain areas. Have you tried calling the Sacramento County CalFresh office to ask directly? They would know if there's anything like that available in your area.

I tried calling the county office THREE times this week but kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold forever! It's so frustrating when you need information and can't get through to anyone. I'll try again next week I guess.

I was stuck in the same situation last month trying to reach Sacramento County for a different CalFresh question. Kept getting disconnected or waiting forever. I finally used this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in about 10 minutes. They basically wait on hold for you and call you when a real person answers. Saved me hours of frustration! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Definitely worth it to get a straight answer about transportation assistance programs.

Does that actually work?? I waste so much time trying to reach my county office every month when I have questions about my benefits. Might try this next time.

Yeah it actually does! I was skeptical at first too but it saved me from pulling my hair out lol. The county workers are actually pretty helpful once you can actually reach them.

This is totally random but has anyone noticed that the CalFresh offices always have the worst phone systems?? Like why is it so impossible to talk to someone about benefits WE QUALIFY FOR?? 🤬 My kids need to eat and I can't spend 3 hours on hold every time there's an issue with my benefits!!!

It's definitely frustrating. The system is ridiculously understaffed for the number of people they serve. I've found that calling right when they open (usually 8am) sometimes helps get through faster.

To answer your original question more clearly - there is no official CalFresh/EBT discount program with Lyft specifically. However, there are several transportation assistance options you might qualify for: 1. Sacramento Regional Transit offers discounted passes for low-income residents - you can verify eligibility with your CalFresh documentation 2. The Sacramento CalFresh Employment & Training (CFET) program can sometimes provide transportation assistance if you're participating in job training or job search activities 3. Some community-based organizations in Sacramento offer gas cards or rideshare vouchers to low-income families - the CalFresh office can refer you to these resources 4. If you have Medi-Cal, you may qualify for non-emergency medical transportation services for medical appointments I'd recommend contacting Sacramento 211 (just dial 211) for information about all available transportation assistance programs in your area. They can direct you to the right resources based on your specific situation.

Thank you so much for this detailed information! I didn't know about the CFET program or the RT discounts. I'll definitely call 211 tomorrow to see what I might qualify for. Really appreciate this!

btw if ur kids go to school u should ask the school about bus service. my kids school has special busses for families that live far or dont have transportation. worth checking

That's actually a good point! Their school is 3 miles away which is why I've been driving them. I'll ask about bus service - that would solve at least part of my transportation issues.

I used to work for social services (different county) and there's definitely no official CalFresh-Lyft partnership program that I ever heard of. But! The person you overheard might have been talking about certain nonprofits that provide ride vouchers that LOOK like they're connected to EBT but aren't actually part of the official benefits. Catholic Charities and some other organizations sometimes offer transportation assistance that you access with your ID or by showing your benefit card as proof of need. Your best bet is to call 211 like someone else suggested.

This is a good point. There are many supplemental services offered by community partners that aren't officially part of CalFresh but serve the same population. The terminology gets mixed up because people often say

UPDATE: I finally got through to the Sacramento County office using that Claimyr service someone recommended. The worker was super helpful and confirmed there's no official Lyft discount with EBT, BUT she told me about a pilot program called

That's great news about getting through to the county office! It sounds like you found some helpful information. Could you share what you learned about that pilot program? I'm sure other people in Sacramento County would benefit from knowing about it too. Also glad to hear the Claimyr service worked for you - that phone system really is impossible to navigate on your own!