Last updated: May 20, 2026
Bottom line
If you are a single mother in Indiana and you need help getting to a doctor, work, school, child care, court, or a basic errand, start with the type of trip. Medical rides usually go through Medicaid. Work-related rides may go through IMPACT, WorkOne, public transit, or a local workforce shuttle. Emergency bus passes, gas help, or one-time ride help are usually local and may come through 211, a township trustee, a church, or a community agency.
There is no statewide program that gives every single mother free gas or a free car. Real help is more limited, but it does exist. The best first steps are Indiana 211, your Medicaid plan, your local transit system, and your DFR or WorkOne caseworker if you are in SNAP, TANF, job training, or a work program.
Urgent help if you need a ride now
If this is a medical emergency, call 911. Indiana Medicaid non-emergency rides are not for ambulance emergencies.
- Medical appointment: Traditional Medicaid members can call Verida at 855-325-7586. Routine trips should be requested at least two business days before the appointment. Urgent trips may need provider verification.
- Medicaid managed care: If you have HIP, Hoosier Healthwise, Hoosier Care Connect, or Indiana PathWays for Aging, call your health plan first because your plan manages its own transportation contractor.
- No gas, bus fare, or local ride: Call 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211 and ask for transportation assistance, gas cards, bus passes, or emergency ride help in your county.
- Safety issue: If transportation is tied to domestic violence, stalking, or threats, contact a local advocate before making a plan that could be seen by an unsafe person. Our safety resources page can help you find safer next steps.
Where to start
Use this simple path before you spend time calling every place in town.
For medical rides
Check your Medicaid card or health plan first. Traditional Medicaid uses Verida for most non-emergency medical transportation. Managed care members use the plan’s process. For more health coverage basics, see our Medicaid guide.
For work or training
If you receive SNAP or TANF, ask DFR/IMPACT about transportation support. If you are in job training, ask WorkOne about supportive services. You can also use our job training help guide.
For bus fare or gas
Call 211 and ask for help by ZIP code. Then ask your township trustee, school, child care caseworker, church, or Community Action agency. For broader next steps, use our local help guide.
For rural areas
Many Indiana counties use demand-response transit instead of regular city buses. Check the state transit list and ask 211 for your county’s ride service. Our rural Indiana help page may also help.
Quick reference table
| Need | Best first call | What to ask for | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor, dentist, therapy, dialysis, pharmacy | Medicaid plan or Verida | Non-emergency medical transportation | Trips must be for covered care. Traditional Medicaid has a trip limit unless more trips are approved. |
| Job search, work program, training | IMPACT or WorkOne | Bus pass, gas help, mileage, work-trip support | Help usually must connect to an approved work or training activity. |
| City bus or paratransit | Local transit agency | Reduced fare, ADA paratransit, route planning | Reduced fares often require an ID, disability proof, Medicare card, or application. |
| Emergency bus fare or gas | Indiana 211 | Bus pass, gas card, ride voucher, local charity | Funds are local and may run out. Ask for more than one referral. |
| Child is homeless or doubled up | School liaison | McKinney-Vento transportation | The school decides services under federal and state rules. Ask for the liaison in writing. |
Medical rides through Indiana Medicaid
Indiana Medicaid covers some rides to Medicaid-covered, non-emergency health care when the member has no other safe ride. The process depends on your Medicaid type.
Traditional Medicaid, also called fee-for-service Medicaid, uses Verida for most non-emergency medical rides. The state’s Indiana Medicaid rides page says members should call 855-325-7586 at least two business days before an appointment. Verida can also help with trips to doctors, dentists, dialysis, pharmacies, and other covered services. Members may use the Verida member portal after registration.
Managed care is different. If you are in Healthy Indiana Plan, Hoosier Healthwise, Hoosier Care Connect, or Indiana PathWays for Aging, the state says transportation is handled through your managed care entity’s contractor. Call the number on your plan card before calling Verida.
Traditional Medicaid also has a family or associate driver option. If a trusted person drives you often to medical appointments, that person may be able to enroll for mileage reimbursement. Start with the state’s family driver form.
Watch out
Do not wait until the morning of the appointment unless it is truly urgent. Keep the clinic address, phone number, Medicaid ID, appointment time, and any wheelchair or car-seat needs in front of you when you call. If the ride is late, call the ride line and choose the “Where’s my ride?” option.
Bus, paratransit, and local transit options
Indiana does not have one statewide bus pass for low-income parents. Local transit systems set their own fares, discounts, routes, and paratransit rules. The INDOT transit list is the best official directory for county and city transit providers.
In Indianapolis, check IndyGo fares for current fare caps, half fares, veterans passes, and IndyGo Access information. In Fort Wayne, Citilink fares include reduced pricing for children, people with disabilities, seniors, and Medicare card holders who have the right ID. In Greater Lafayette, CityBus fares include half fares, ACCESS fares, and student-related fare rules. In Muncie, MITS fares are low-cost, with free rides for students and veterans with valid ID.
If you cannot use a regular fixed-route bus because of a disability, ask the transit agency about ADA paratransit. You may need an application, medical information, an interview, or an eligibility decision. If your child has a disability and transportation is part of daily care, our future disability guide may help later, but for now start with the transit agency and your child’s care team.
| Area | Starting point | Ask about |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis / Marion County | IndyGo | MyKey, half fare, IndyGo Access, route planning |
| Fort Wayne | Citilink | Reduced fare ID, Access service, MedLink, routes to schools and food pantries |
| Greater Lafayette | CityBus | Half fare, ACCESS, youth fares, Purdue/Ivy Tech rides |
| Muncie | MITS | Half fare, MITSPlus, student and veteran rides |
| Rural county | County transit provider | Demand-response rides, medical rides, advance scheduling, county limits |
Help getting to work, school, and child care
If transportation is keeping you from work, training, or keeping benefits, ask for help through the program that is requiring the trip.
Indiana’s IMPACT program serves Hoosiers receiving SNAP or TANF and lists transportation assistance as a support service. Call 800-403-0864 and press 3, or contact your local DFR office. You can find county offices through DFR offices. If you are still applying for TANF, our Indiana TANF guide may help you understand the basics.
WorkOne may also help if you are enrolled in an approved job search, training, or WIOA service. Use WorkOne centers to find your region and ask whether supportive services can help with transportation. If you also need food help while stabilizing your work schedule, see our Indiana SNAP guide.
In central Indiana, CIRTA offers zero-fare CIRTA connectors to Plainfield and Whitestown job areas. CIRTA’s Commuter Connect can also help with carpools, vanpools, and emergency ride home information in participating counties.
For child care trips, ask your CCDF caseworker, child care provider, school, and transit agency. Transportation is not always covered, but a provider may know a bus route, pickup option, or local family resource center. Our child care help page covers Indiana child care assistance in more detail.
School transportation when housing is unstable
If your family is staying in a shelter, motel, car, campground, doubled-up housing, or another temporary place because you lost housing or cannot afford housing, ask the school for the McKinney-Vento liaison. Indiana’s Department of Education explains the McKinney-Vento program for homeless children and youth.
This can matter even if you do not think of your family as “homeless.” The school may be able to help remove school barriers, including transportation to the school of origin when required. If transportation problems are tied to a move, eviction, or shelter stay, also see our rent help and Indiana housing help pages.
Local emergency help: bus passes, gas cards, and repairs
Gas cards and bus passes are usually local. They may be available from 211 partners, township trustees, churches, charities, Community Action agencies, domestic violence programs, hospitals, schools, or job programs. Funding can run out, so ask for several referrals at the same time.
Township trustees in Indiana may provide help with basic needs under local township assistance rules. One official township page explains that a trustee may provide help for shelter, utilities, medical, clothing, food, household supplies, and burial, and that decisions and appeals must be in writing. Start with your own township, not a different township. This township trustee page is a useful example of how local rules can work, but your township may be different.
Car repair and car ownership help is much harder to find than bus or medical rides. Be careful with sites that promise free cars or instant grants. In the Lafayette area, Cars for Keeps runs a limited lease-to-own program with eligibility rules. Outside that area, ask 211, your township trustee, WorkOne, IMPACT, your child’s school social worker, or local churches about repair funds, donated rides, or referral-only programs.
If the transportation problem is part of a larger emergency, our community support guide and Indiana aid guide can help you look for other help without chasing fake grants.
What to have ready before you call
Most programs will not approve help based only on a quick phone call. Having proof ready can save time.
| Program | Information to gather | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid ride | Medicaid ID, date of birth, pickup address, clinic address, appointment time, clinic phone, special needs | Ask for a confirmation number and write it down. |
| 211 or charity | ZIP code, county, household size, income, reason for trip, amount needed, deadline | Ask for two or three referrals because one fund may be closed. |
| IMPACT or WorkOne | Case number if you have one, training schedule, job interview details, bus route or gas estimate | Connect the request to work, training, or job retention. |
| Township trustee | ID, proof of address, income, bills, benefit letters, denial letters, car estimate if asking about repair | Ask for written notice if denied or only partly helped. |
| School liaison | Student name, school, temporary address, old school, transportation problem | Ask for the McKinney-Vento liaison by name or title. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Calling Verida when you are in managed care: Call your health plan first if you are not in Traditional Medicaid.
- Waiting too long: Routine medical rides need advance notice. Transit paratransit also may require eligibility approval before your first ride.
- Asking for “free gas” only: Say why the trip matters. “Job interview,” “training,” “medical appointment,” or “school transportation barrier” is clearer.
- Assuming one denial is final: Ask whether there is an appeal, supervisor review, different program, or partner agency.
- Paying for a list of grants: Real transportation help should not require you to buy a list of programs.
If you are denied, delayed, or ignored
Ask for the reason in writing when possible. For Medicaid rides, ask whether the issue is eligibility, trip type, advance notice, address, provider verification, or a contractor problem. For township help, ask for the written decision and appeal steps. For WorkOne or IMPACT, ask what activity or document is missing.
If the issue affects housing, custody, school enrollment, benefits, safety, or a court date, consider calling legal aid. Our legal help page explains where to start. If the issue is related to pregnancy, postpartum care, or your baby’s medical appointments, our postpartum support page may also be useful. For food support while you work on transportation, see our WIC guide.
Transportation and disability-related help
If you or your child has a disability, ask about ADA paratransit, Medicaid rides, school transportation, and Vocational Rehabilitation if the need is tied to work. Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation has area offices and helps eligible people with disabilities prepare for, get, keep, or advance in employment. Services are based on eligibility and individual need.
When you call, explain the barrier clearly: “I cannot use the fixed-route bus because of my disability,” “my child needs transportation written into school supports,” or “I need transportation to complete job training.”
Phone scripts
Medicaid ride script
“Hi, I need help scheduling a ride to a Medicaid-covered appointment. I have my Medicaid ID, appointment time, pickup address, clinic address, and phone number. Can you tell me if I should schedule through Verida or through my health plan?”
211 script
“Hi, I am a single parent in [ZIP code]. I need transportation help for [medical appointment/job interview/work/school]. I am asking for bus passes, a gas card, ride voucher, or any local agency that helps with rides. Can you search by my township and county?”
IMPACT or WorkOne script
“Hi, I am trying to keep or start work/training, but transportation is a barrier. Can you tell me if I qualify for supportive services such as bus passes, gas help, mileage, or help getting to training?”
School script
“Hi, our housing is not stable right now, and transportation is making it hard for my child to attend school. Can I speak with the McKinney-Vento liaison about transportation and school-of-origin options?”
Resumen en español
Si necesita transporte en Indiana, empiece por el tipo de viaje. Para citas médicas cubiertas por Medicaid, llame a su plan de Medicaid o a Verida si tiene Medicaid tradicional. Para trabajo o entrenamiento, pregunte a IMPACT, DFR o WorkOne. Para pases de autobús, gasolina o ayuda local, llame al 211 o mande su código postal por texto al 898-211. Si su familia no tiene vivienda estable, pida hablar con el enlace McKinney-Vento de la escuela.
FAQ
Does Indiana give free gas cards to single mothers?
Not as one statewide benefit. Gas cards and bus passes are usually local and depend on funding. Call 211, your township trustee, IMPACT, WorkOne, or local charities and explain the trip reason.
Who do I call for Medicaid rides in Indiana?
If you have Traditional Medicaid, call Verida at 855-325-7586. If you are in HIP, Hoosier Healthwise, Hoosier Care Connect, or Indiana PathWays for Aging, call your health plan because managed care transportation uses the plan’s contractor.
Can Medicaid pay a family member for driving me?
Traditional Medicaid may allow a family member or associate driver to enroll for mileage reimbursement. The driver and member must complete the required process before payment can happen.
Can WorkOne help with transportation?
Sometimes. Transportation support is usually tied to an approved job search, training, or workforce program. Ask your local WorkOne whether supportive services are available in your situation.
What if my child cannot get to school because we lost housing?
Ask the school for the McKinney-Vento liaison. Families in shelters, motels, doubled-up housing, cars, campgrounds, or other unstable housing may have school transportation rights.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified May 20, 2026, next review August 20, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.