Annapolis, Md. - County Executive Steuart Pittman and Mayor Gavin Buckley announced today a collaborative effort to ensure county residents can access transportation to and from the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium mass vaccination site.
"Anne Arundel County has prioritized our most vulnerable residents throughout the vaccination rollout, and we will continue to do so at the new mass vaccination site by providing free, convenient transportation options for our residents,” said County Executive Pittman. “We won’t allow transportation barriers to stand in the way of anyone getting vaccinated. Thank you to the Maryland Department of Health, Anne Arundel County Fire Department, and all our partners for getting this site ready to start vaccinating residents April 15.”
Anne Arundel County residents may call the Office of Transportation at 410-222-0225 or 410-222-0047 to access the County Operated Vaccine Service and schedule a free ride to their vaccination appointment. Operators are available to help 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Monday - Friday to help residents arrange transportation to their appointment at the Navy Stadium site, or any other vaccination clinic in Anne Arundel County.
Residents may also utilize the Office of Transportation’s AA-Gold College Parkway service route to access the Rowe Boulevard / Taylor Avenue stop by the Navy Stadium to reach the mass vaccination site. This service is free of charge, as all fees have been waived during the pandemic. Information on route stops and hours is available on the Office of Transportation’s webpage.
“Vaccinating our most at-risk residents is the key to saving lives and preventing hospitalizations.” said Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman. “Many of them have limited access to transportation. With the combination of community clinics and these free transportation options, we hope everyone will have easier access to get vaccinated.”
Residents age 55 and older or residents 18 and older with a disability are also able to use the Department of Aging and Disabilities’ Taxi Voucher program to schedule transportation to their vaccine appointment. The Taxi Voucher program offers discounted taxi vouchers with participating cab companies, each book costs $5 and is worth a value of $10. For additional details on this program, residents can call 410-222-4222.
“Navy Stadium is centrally located and a great spot for a mass vaccination site,” said Mayor Buckley. “But for those without easy access to transportation options, it might as well be a million miles away. Simplifying access to this site will help us get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible - and help us to get to the other side of this pandemic.”
Buckley added that the Navy stadium site gives residents the confidence that comes with a solid partnership between the U.S. Naval Academy, the state of Maryland, the County and the City.
The City of Annapolis will provide free shuttle bus service from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to Church Circle, connecting residents to major City-operated transit routes.
