Access for All Program in Alameda County
Alameda County’s Access for All grant program funds projects and programs that expand on-demand wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) services for individuals who use wheelchairs and seek on-demand transportation within Alameda County. The program is administered by Alameda CTC.
Program Background
The Access for All (AFA) Program was established in 2018 by Senate Bill 1376, which directed the CPUC to establish a program relating to the accessibility of transportation network companies’ (TNCs, e.g., Uber and Lyft) services for persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users who need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV).
To fund the program, the CPUC instituted a $0.10 Access Fee collected on each TNC ride. There are two different ways to meet the statute’s overall goal of expanding and improving on-demand WAV transportation services in California:
- Collection of Fees: TNCs can invest the Access Fee revenue to expand or improve their on-demand WAV service in each county. They can then file offset requests with the CPUC to keep some of the Access Fee revenue they collect, equal to the amount they invest in each county, as long as the service meets CPUC performance requirements.
- Distribution of Funds: The CPUC sets aside the remaining moneys (not claimed by the TNCs in the offset process) in a fund called the Access Fund. These funds can then be distributed to Access Providers through Local Access Funds Administrators (LAFAs). The CPUC will allocate funds annually proportional to the percent of fees originating in that county.
In March 2025, the Commission approved and adopted Resolution No. 25-003 authorizing Alameda CTC to apply to serve as the LAFA for Alameda County. In June 2025, the CPUC approved Alameda CTC’s application as the LAFA for Alameda County.
Local Allocation
New funding for the TNC Access for All Program becomes available annually from the CPUC based on the number of TNC passenger trips in Alameda County for the previous year.
2025 – 2026 Access for All Program Call for Projects
In 2025, Alameda CTC received its first allocation of Access funds for this Call for Projects cycle with approximately $1.35 million available for grants.
The 2025-2026 AFA WAV grant will be focused on the provision of WAV for same day transportation service similar to how taxis and TNCs provide on-demand transportation. The WAV grant aims to expand and improve on-demand same-day WAV transportation services in Alameda County.
For comments or questions about the Alameda County program please contact paratransit@alamedactc.org.
To learn more about the program from the CPUC, visit their website at http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/tncaccess/.
