Instacart logo

TriMet LIFT now partners with Instacart

TriMet is partnering with Instacart to provide Instacart+ memberships to eligible LIFT riders, which meansd easier access to food, products, restaurants, prescriptions and so much more.

 

What is Instacart?

Instacart is an on-demand shopping service that delivers groceries, restaurant prepared ready-to-eat meals, prescriptions, pet food and other retail items directly to your door by connecting you with a personal shopper.

TriMet pays for the membership, and you pay for the items you order with a debit or credit card linked to your Instacart account.

Tutorial showing how to place orders (English)

Tutorial showing how to place orders (Spanish)

 

What It Means for You:

  • Shop from Home: Order groceries, household supplies and more from your phone, tablet or computer to be delivered directly to your home.
  • Save Money: With Instacart+, you get reduced service fees and free delivery on eligible orders with just a $10 minimum and no maximum.
  • Save Time and Energy: No need to schedule a LIFT ride or carry heavy bags — your items are delivered straight to your door.
  • Stay Independent: Great for when you’d rather not travel, the weather isn’t ideal or you want to save your LIFT trips for medical appointments, social outings or other needs.

How It Helps You:

  • Reduces the need to use LIFT for grocery shopping, prescription deliveries or local restaurant meals since Instacart partners with Uber Eats for restaurant deliveries.
  • Provides a backup option when same-day food or essentials are needed.
  • Increases flexibility and independence, especially for riders with mobility challenges or health concerns, when the weather is bad or high-pain days interfere with getting essential items for daily living.
  • Ability to order from over 55 national and local stores, including grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants such as: Fred Meyer, Safeway, Albertsons, Costco, New Seasons, Petco and so much more.
  • Link your retail loyalty cards and EBT benefits to your Instacart+ Account.
  • Senior and specialized support for customers who may need additional help setting up an account or placing an order. Learn more specialized support
  • Family Accounts - Build a cart and track order progress together. As long as one member on the family account has an Instacart+ membership, everyone gets the order savings benefits. Learn more about family accounts

How to apply

1 Check your eligibility:

  • You have internet service
  • You have a smart phone, tablet or computer connected to the internet
  • You have an email address
  • You have a debit or credit card that can be used to make purchases

2 Get started with Instacart:

  1. First, apply for the Instacart+ membership through TriMet. Those selected to participate will be notified via email.
  2. Once approved for this program, you will receive a unique gift card number along with additional information on creating your account and all the benefits of the Instacart program.
  3. Go to the Instacart web page, or download the app on the Google Play store or Apple Store.
  4. Choose your store(s), fill your cart and select a delivery time.
  5. Enjoy convenient delivery right to your home.
  6. For questions or problems with an order, along with other helpful resources to make your shopping experience with Instacart trouble-free, see the Help and contact info section below.

Remember: This is an extra benefit to give you more choices — it doesn’t replace your LIFT service.

Why are we offering this service?

TriMet is reimagining how our riders connect to the vital services they need in the community. We are working to meet our riders where they are. For riders with mobility challenges, who are blind or low vision, with cognitive disabilities, or varying pain levels associated with their disability, shopping can be consuming and leave you with little energy to complete your ordinary tasks of daily living.

When traveling to and from grocery stores on public transportation, riders must often dedicate hours of their day for basic shopping needs, impacting independence and quality of life. With Instacart, riders can gain faster, more convenient access to groceries without long rides and wait times and with the technology supports (screen readers) to help find the exact items they need.

Many retailers no longer offer in-store assistance, making shopping complex and time-consuming for riders with disabilities. Instacart’s accessibility features (screen reader compatibility, high contrast, voice-to-text) support independence for seniors and people with disabilities, and the support from their shoppers gets your items right to your front door, without having to carry multiple packages on-board the bus.

Please know:

  • TriMet is only subsidizing the cost of the Instacart+ membership, which covers shopping and delivery of goods. No other charges are compensated such as merchandise, tips or extra fees.
  • TriMet is not delivering products and will not have any insight into Instacart accounts or orders placed. TriMet is not responsible for wrong orders, refunds, customer service or anything else relating to orders placed through the Instacart platform.

What we’ve heard from riders about this program:

  • “As a blind shopper, going to the store means finding someone to help select items. Instacart allows me to interact with the shopper through text and get the things I need in real time.”
  • “I am a full time caregiver for my husband who uses the TriMet LIFT service twice every week to attend a respite care program. This Instacart service has been wonderful, invaluable and appreciated. It has made a huge, positive difference in our lives. We are hopeful that this service will continue.”
  • “I have serious health conditions, and using grocery delivery helps me have physical energy to do other things I need to do and reduces my risk of getting sick too. I feel a lot safer and secure knowing I can get food no matter how sick I am. Very grateful for this program.”
  • “Thank you for bringing this option to LIFT users. One very valuable benefit of these online shopping platforms is the ability for those of us who can’t read packaging to get nutritional information and often directions from the information shared from the store. I have so much more freedom and can research my food options without feeling like I am keeping someone from doing things they would rather do.”
  • “I really appreciate having this service! I understand the concerns about social isolation, but I’d rather have energy to see my friends than spend it all shopping.”

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