Can I get help affording a car?

Some community action agencies and programs like Ways to Work, Wheels to Work, or Good News Garage offer low-interest loans or donated vehicles to working parents. Eligibility typically requires employment or training and income under a threshold. Waitlists can be long.

What is Medicaid NEMT?

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation — Medicaid must cover rides to and from covered medical appointments at no cost. Call the transportation number on the back of your Medicaid card to schedule. Rides must be arranged in advance (usually 2–3 business days).

Are there reduced-fare transit options?

Most transit agencies offer reduced fares for seniors, disabled riders, and Medicaid enrollees. TANF and some workforce programs include transit passes. Some employers subsidize transit through pre-tax benefits. Contact your local transit authority for eligibility.

What if I live in a rural area with no bus?

Dial-a-ride services, volunteer driver programs through Area Agencies on Aging, rural transit partnerships, and Medicaid NEMT serve rural residents. Community action agencies coordinate much of this. Call 211 for a local referral.

Transportation in Kentucky

15 verified resources.

About Transportation for Fathers

Transportation assistance helps fathers get to work, court, medical appointments, and childcare. Public transit passes are often available free or discounted through TANF, Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT), and social service agencies. Many job training programs cover bus passes. The Ways to Work program and some community action agencies provide low-interest car loans to working parents. State DMVs typically require proof of insurance and current registration; low-cost insurance programs exist for low-income drivers in several states (California's Low Cost Auto Insurance is one example). For rural fathers without reliable transit, dial-a-ride and volunteer driver programs are coordinated through Area Agencies on Aging and community action agencies. Medicaid NEMT covers rides to covered medical visits at no cost. This directory includes transit authorities, Medicaid NEMT providers, and car-ownership assistance programs.

Transportation in Kentucky

Kentucky family courts hear custody, visitation, and child support cases in most counties; the remaining counties use district or circuit court. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services Division of Child Support administers enforcement. Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, and Covington are the major metros. Legal Aid Society (Louisville/western), Kentucky Legal Aid, and Appalachian Research and Defense Fund (AppalReD) cover the state.

15 Resources

1. TARC – Transit Authority of River City — Paid

Public bus system serving the Louisville metro area and parts of southern Indiana, operating fixed route and paratransit services. Fathers without a car can use TARC to reach jobs, schools, medical appointments, and courthouses across Jefferson County. Fares apply; discounted passes are available for seniors, disabled riders, and students. Call the Broadway office or visit the website for schedules and route maps. Paratransit riders apply for eligibility in advance.

502-585-1234 · 1000 W Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203 · Service daily · Visit Website

2. Lextran – Lexington Transit — Paid

Public bus service in Lexington and Fayette County with fixed-route service, Wheels paratransit, and on-demand options. Fathers can use Lextran to reach jobs, schools, medical appointments, and family court. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors, disabled riders, and students. Call the Loudon Avenue headquarters or visit the website for schedules and route maps. Paratransit eligibility requires an application and documentation of qualifying disability.

859-255-7756 · 200 W Loudon Ave, Lexington, KY 40508 · Mon-Sat 5:30am-10pm · Visit Website

3. TANK – Northern Kentucky Transit — Paid

Public bus service connecting Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties with each other and with downtown Cincinnati. Fathers in northern Kentucky can use TANK to reach jobs, medical appointments, and cross-river employers. Fares apply with discounts for seniors, disabled riders, and youth. Call the Fort Wright office or visit the website for schedules, route maps, and reduced fare applications. Paratransit service RAMP is available for riders with qualifying disabilities.

859-331-8265 · 3375 Madison Pike, Fort Wright, KY 41017 · Mon-Sat 5am-10pm · Visit Website

4. Bowling Green Public Transit — Paid

Public bus service serving Bowling Green and Warren County, operating GO bg Transit routes with weekday service and paratransit for qualifying riders. Fathers can use the system to reach jobs, medical appointments, and college campuses in the area. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors, disabled riders, and students. Call the 10th Avenue office or visit the city's website for schedules, route maps, and paratransit applications that require disability documentation.

270-783-3388 · 710 E 10th Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101 · Mon-Fri 6am-6pm · Visit Website

5. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet – Public Transit — Free

State agency administering rural public transit programs, grants to local providers, and transportation assistance initiatives across Kentucky. Fathers in areas without a local transit agency can contact the cabinet for information about the nearest available service. Call the Frankfort office during business hours or visit the website for contact details by region. Services through local providers vary in cost; many areas offer reduced fares for seniors and disabled riders.

502-564-7433 · 200 Mero St, Frankfort, KY 40622 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website

6. KATS – Owensboro Transit — Paid

Public bus service in the Owensboro area, operating fixed-route service and paratransit for qualifying riders with disabilities. Fathers can use KATS to reach jobs, medical appointments, and community services in Daviess County. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors, disabled riders, and students. Call the Highway 54 office or visit the city's website for schedules and route maps. Paratransit service requires an eligibility application and disability documentation.

270-687-8625 · 3200 Hwy 54, Owensboro, KY 42303 · Mon-Fri 6am-6pm · Visit Website

7. Paducah Transit Authority — Paid

Public bus service operating fixed-route and paratransit services in Paducah and McCracken County. Fathers can use Paducah Transit to reach jobs, medical appointments, courthouses, and community services. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors, disabled riders, and students. Call the 3rd Street office or visit the city's website for schedules, route maps, and paratransit applications. Paratransit eligibility requires documentation of a qualifying disability.

270-444-9141 · 400 S 3rd St, Paducah, KY 42003 · Mon-Sat 6am-6pm · Visit Website

8. Frankfort Transit — Paid

Public bus service operating in Frankfort and surrounding Franklin County, providing fixed-route and demand-response service. Fathers in the state capital area can use Frankfort Transit to reach jobs, medical appointments, and state government offices. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors, disabled riders, and students. Call the city's transit office for schedules and paratransit applications. Paratransit eligibility requires documentation of a qualifying disability.

502-875-2255 · Frankfort, KY 40601 · Mon-Fri 6am-6pm · Visit Website

9. Richmond Public Transit — Paid

Public transportation service in Richmond and Madison County, operating fixed-route and demand-response service for local riders. Fathers can use Richmond Transit to reach jobs, medical appointments, schools, and community services. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors, disabled riders, and students. Call the Main Street office or visit the city's website for schedules, route maps, and paratransit applications requiring documentation of a qualifying disability.

859-624-4750 · 239 W Main St, Richmond, KY 40475 · Mon-Fri 6am-6pm · Visit Website

10. RTEC – Rural Transit Enterprises Coordinated — Paid

Rural public transit provider serving 11 counties in southeastern Kentucky with demand-response and scheduled route service. Fathers in rural areas can use RTEC to reach jobs, medical appointments, and human services offices that are otherwise hard to access. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors and disabled riders. Call the Mount Vernon office during business hours to schedule a ride or learn about eligibility for Medicaid non-emergency transportation.

606-256-9835 · 100 Main St, Mt Vernon, KY 40456 · Mon-Fri 5:30am-5pm

11. Sandy Valley Transportation — Paid

Rural public transit provider serving Johnson, Floyd, Martin, Magoffin, and Pike counties in eastern Kentucky. Fathers in rural Appalachian communities can use Sandy Valley to reach jobs, medical appointments, and human services offices. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors and disabled riders. Call the Paintsville office during business hours to schedule a ride or ask about Medicaid non-emergency transportation eligibility for qualifying medical appointments.

606-789-6321 · Paintsville, KY 41240 · Mon-Fri 6am-5pm · Visit Website

12. LKLP Community Action – Transit — Paid

Rural public transit and community action agency serving Leslie, Knott, Letcher, and Perry counties in southeastern Kentucky. Fathers can use LKLP transit to reach jobs, medical appointments, and human services offices in the region. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors and disabled riders. Call the Hazard office during business hours to schedule a ride or ask about Medicaid non-emergency transportation eligibility and available community action programs.

606-436-3161 · 258 Main St, Hazard, KY 41701 · Mon-Fri 6am-5pm · Visit Website

13. Bluegrass Ultra-Transit Service (BUTS) — Paid

Rural public transit service coordinated by the Bluegrass Area Development District, serving counties around Lexington not covered by Lextran. Fathers can use BUTS to reach jobs, medical appointments, and human services offices in the Bluegrass region. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors and disabled riders. Call the Perimeter Drive office during business hours to schedule a ride or ask about Medicaid non-emergency transportation eligibility for appointments.

859-233-4262 · 699 Perimeter Dr, Lexington, KY 40517 · Mon-Fri 6am-6pm · Visit Website

14. Elizabethtown Connect — Paid

Public transit service operating fixed-route and demand-response buses in Elizabethtown and Hardin County. Fathers can use Etown Connect to reach jobs, medical appointments, and local government offices. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors, disabled riders, and students. Call the Dixie Avenue office or visit the website for schedules, route maps, and paratransit applications. Paratransit eligibility requires documentation of a qualifying disability submitted with the application.

270-765-6121 · 200 W Dixie Ave, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 · Mon-Fri 6am-6pm · Visit Website

15. Hopkinsville Transit System — Paid

Public bus service operating in the Hopkinsville area with fixed-route and paratransit options for local riders. Fathers can use Hopkinsville Transit to reach jobs, medical appointments, courthouses, and community services. Fares apply with reduced options for seniors, disabled riders, and students. Call the 7th Street office or visit the city's website for schedules and route maps. Paratransit eligibility requires an application and documentation of a qualifying disability.

270-887-4233 · 101 E 7th St, Hopkinsville, KY 42240 · Mon-Fri 6am-6pm · Visit Website

Transportation — Common Questions

Can I get help affording a car?: Some community action agencies and programs like Ways to Work, Wheels to Work, or Good News Garage offer low-interest loans or donated vehicles to working parents. Eligibility typically requires employment or training and income under a threshold. Waitlists can be long.
What is Medicaid NEMT?: Non-Emergency Medical Transportation — Medicaid must cover rides to and from covered medical appointments at no cost. Call the transportation number on the back of your Medicaid card to schedule. Rides must be arranged in advance (usually 2–3 business days).
Are there reduced-fare transit options?: Most transit agencies offer reduced fares for seniors, disabled riders, and Medicaid enrollees. TANF and some workforce programs include transit passes. Some employers subsidize transit through pre-tax benefits. Contact your local transit authority for eligibility.
What if I live in a rural area with no bus?: Dial-a-ride services, volunteer driver programs through Area Agencies on Aging, rural transit partnerships, and Medicaid NEMT serve rural residents. Community action agencies coordinate much of this. Call 211 for a local referral.