Palo Alto's subsidized ride-hailing service ends Oct. 30, and residents who depend on it for medical appointments and daily errands say the replacement voucher program won't fill the gap.

Palo Alto Link, the on-demand transit service that launched March 7, 2023, as a replacement for the city's pandemic-shuttered shuttle bus, will make its last trip on Friday, Oct. 30, according to the city's transition page. The City Council voted in June to end its contract with Via, the company that operated the nine-vehicle fleet, after the county grant that initially funded the program ran out and the city's annual subsidy climbed to about $700,000.

Ian Irwin, a Palo Alto resident in his 70s who has a daughter with a disability, told the council in September that the shutdown caught him off guard. He and his daughter relied on Link for trips to doctor appointments, therapy sessions and their synagogue.

"The Link was a lifesaver for many parts of the Palo Alto community," Irwin said, as reported by the Palo Alto Weekly.

Link offered rides anywhere in Palo Alto for $4, or $2 for seniors, youth, low-income riders and people with disabilities. It operated weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The city's Office of Transportation calculated the cost at roughly $26 per trip, Palo Alto Online reported.

The council in June boosted funding for the Palo Alto Transportation Management Association (PATMA) by $100,000, bringing the city's total contribution to the nonprofit to $500,000. PATMA will run a voucher program focused on older adults, people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. That marks a sharp pivot for an organization founded in 2014 to reduce solo-car commuting among local employees.

PATMA is also contributing $45,000 to Avenidas, the senior services nonprofit at 450 Bryant St., to hire an additional part-time shuttle driver. When residents sign up for PATMA services, Avenidas will have access to the applicant list and can offer door-to-door rides for older adults and people with disabilities within Palo Alto and Stanford.

But the new setup has gaps. Unlike Link, which served all residents, employees and visitors, the voucher program targets specific populations. Avenidas focuses on adults 65 and older, leaving younger residents with disabilities to find alternatives. PATMA Executive Director Justine Burt said the organization will steer some of those riders toward paratransit services run by SamTrans and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.

Alex Van Riesen, a parent of a child with special needs, told the council the voucher program is "not a like-for-like swap." Uber and Lyft rides aren't always reliable and can't always accommodate wheelchairs, he said.

PATMA's expanded programs for qualifying seniors, disabled and low-income residents are set to begin Thursday, Oct. 1. Burt said her organization will send alerts in early October to notify residents about service changes and ride options.

The shift is projected to save the city $176,000 in fiscal year 2027 and $460,000 annually after that. Link's last trip runs Friday, Oct. 30.