Special needs transportation serves people who can't drive or don't have access to a car. Special needs transportation can be a lifeline for a senior citizen who needs to go to a medical appointment, for a person with a disability who needs to go to work, or a low-income worker who needs to get his or her children to childcare or go grocery shopping. Without transportation options, these people might otherwise be virtually trapped in their homes or forced to lead much less independent lives.

Special needs transportation is provided by both public agencies and private companies. Legislators, state agencies, transportation providers, consumer advocates are working together to improve transportation services for those with special transportation needs through the Agency Council on Coordinated Transportation.

The term accessible transportation refers to vehicles and facilities with barriers removed which could prevent their use by any individual, such as a person who needs handholds or a person in a wheelchair.

Accessible transportation providers offer vehicles and facilities for people with special transportation needs.