 MetroAccess is a paratransit service which WMATA provides through private contractors. It began operation in May 1994, and since that time, annual ridership has grown from 200,000 to over 2.4 million passengers. MetroAccess operates 365 days a year, providing door-to-door, shared rides reserved from one to seven days in advance. It is now the sixth largest paratransit service in the United States with a fleet of over 600 vehicles and over 1,000 employees. WMATA staff determines eligibility to use the service in response to written applications. The cost per passenger for MetroAccess is significantly higher than its fixed-route counterparts, and Metro has worked to provide as many opportunities to encourage and facilitate the use of fixed-route transit by its customers with disabilities.
