More than a year before New York City made news for a plan to no longer charge residents for riding the bus, Irvine established its own program that provides residents with free transportation to parks, schools, hospitals, and shopping centers through the Irvine CONNECT shuttle bus service.
After a successful one-year pilot program, the shuttle service was made permanent in 2025, with additional routes being added to reach even more Irvine neighborhoods. Over the past year, the program has proven to be especially helpful for students traveling to and from school and for seniors who need to get to medical appointments and shopping centers.
Mayor Larry Agran has been one of the driving forces behind the free bus service, saying: “The No. 1 complaint I hear from our City’s residents is about Irvine’s traffic congestion. The Irvine CONNECT shuttle is one way we are addressing that issue. It provides a safe and reliable service for those who want to take public transit; for students who don’t yet drive but need to get to school or want to meet up with their friends; and for seniors who feel more comfortable leaving their cars at home. I can’t tell you how many residents have thanked the Council for voting to make the free shuttle service permanent, and for expanding the routes to encourage more people to use it.
In addition, the City’s TRIPS program has been successful for years, providing wheelchair-accessible shuttle bus transportation to Irvine seniors and adults with disabilities. The program offers safe, reliable transportation to medical appointments, work, school, social activities, shopping, and more.
The City is now expanding mobility options for Irvine seniors 60 years of age and older with its new WeRide program, which is a same-day, on-demand transportation service powered by volunteer drivers. The program provides flexible, curb-to-curb rides for short, local trips to assist older adults with errands, appointments, and social visits. Seniors can request rides up to 15 minutes before their desired departure time via phone or an app.
Register here for one of the upcoming WeRide information sessions to set up your account so that you can begin scheduling rides as soon as the program launches on February 2nd.
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- Volunteer for the City’s Care Call Program - January 11, 2026
- Irvine’s New Public Library System - January 10, 2026
