Mobility Scooters in Bakersfield, California
Looking for a mobility scooter in Bakersfield, California — to buy or to rent? Bakersfield is a large city at the southern end of the Central Valley, a working city built on farming, oil and country music. About one resident in nine is 65 or over — some 44,000 seniors — though its disability rate, 11.0%, sits below the national figure, because this is a younger, growing city. What sets Bakersfield apart for a scooter rider is one of the longest paved trails anywhere in these guides: the Kern River Parkway, some thirty flat, paved miles along the river through the heart of the city. Add GET’s buses and door-to-door GET-A-Lift, California’s expanded Medi-Cal, and a warm valley climate — with one winter caution, the dense tule fog. This guide covers the trail, the transit, the funding, and the models that suit a flat, spread-out valley city. Polaris Mobility earns a commission on qualifying Amazon purchases through links on this page.
- Rated ~25 mi range
- 10″ wheels
- Up to 265 lb
- Folds for a car
Bakersfield has one of the longest paved trails in these guides — the Kern River Parkway runs some thirty flat, paved miles along the river — and this is a spread-out, active city where people ride it, so range and bigger wheels earn their keep, and it folds for the car. The Glashow S1 has the longest range of our four, on 10″ wheels that roll smoothly on the paved path. Two honest caveats: its 265 lb weight limit is the lowest of the four, so check it first; and it is heavier than a bare-bones travel model. If you would rather have the most comfort and capacity, the Buzzaround steps up, and on a budget the Aotedor is a genuine choice.
On Medicare or Medi-Cal? Read the funding section — California covers power mobility for eligible residents.
GET buses, and GET-A-Lift
- GET-A-Lift is the door-to-door backstop. Curb-to-curb paratransit covers the trips a scooter, the summer heat or a foggy morning cannot make.
- A scooter plus GET covers a spread-out city. Own the scooter for the neighbourhood and the parkway, and let the buses and GET-A-Lift carry the distance.
Thirty paved miles on the Kern River Parkway
- The Kern River Parkway is the ride. Some thirty flat, paved miles along the river make a genuine long outing — ride a piece or the whole thing.
- It connects to the city. With links to the university, shops and restaurants, the parkway is a practical route as well as a scenic one.
- Many entrances make it easy. Free parking lots and road links all along the trail let you start wherever suits you.
Hot summers, and winter tule fog
Paying for it: California’s Medi-Cal, and Medicare
- Under 65 with a disability or a low income? Medi-Cal may cover a scooter when a doctor documents the medical need and you use an enrolled provider — ask about durable medical equipment (DME).
- 65 or older? You are on Medicare, whose Part B may cover a scooter on similar terms (Medicare.gov).
- Either way, a scooter bought on Amazon is a separate out-of-pocket purchase — the right choice if you do not qualify, or would rather not wait.
Because Medi-Cal and Medicare work through approved suppliers, buying online is a separate route. Confirm current criteria directly, as they change.
Comparing options across the state? Our California mobility scooter guide covers statewide Medicaid and Medicare details, the best models for the local climate and terrain, and how the picture changes from city to city.
Renting vs. buying a mobility scooter in Bakersfield
In a flat city with a thirty-mile trail and a long riding season, an owned scooter does real work — and buying within a couple of months is usually cheaper than renting.
- Keeps costing you. A travel scooter runs roughly $100 to $200 a week depending on model (Scootaround), so a month of regular use is several hundred dollars.
- You hand it back — it never becomes yours.
- Not fitted or sized to you.
- Reasonable for a short visit or a one-off event.
- Pays for itself fast. A one-time purchase; after a few weeks of what renting costs you are ahead — and you keep the scooter.
- It is ready whenever you are — and the warm climate means a long riding season.
- It folds down for a car boot — to reach a parkway trailhead, a clinic or a day out.
- And it may be funded. If your need is medical, Medi-Cal or Medicare may cover an approved device.
Bottom line: if you live here, buy — a scooter with the range for the thirty-mile Kern River Parkway that folds for the car, ridden in the cooler hours and clear of the fog. Check first whether Medi-Cal or Medicare will fund it.
Who needs mobility support in Bakersfield
10.8% of Bakersfield residents are 65 or older — 44,277 people out of 408,366 — well below California’s 15.3% and the national 16.8%, because this is a younger, family, working city. Its disability rate, 11.0%, is also below the national 13.0%.
So the numbers here are modest in proportion, but large in count: more than forty-four thousand seniors, plus the residents living with a disability, in a flat valley city with a thirty-mile paved trail down its middle. For someone who had begun to find the distances too far, Bakersfield’s combination — the Kern River Parkway, GET buses and door-to-door GET-A-Lift — turns errands and outings back into easy, everyday trips. A scooter with the range to use that long trail, that folds for the car, is what makes the most of it.
Best mobility scooters for Bakersfield (2026)
Picks weighted for range on the Kern River Parkway, comfort for daily use, and value. Specs are per manufacturer listings; confirm current details and price on Amazon.
| Model | Wheels | Max rider | Top speed | Owner rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glashow S1 Folding ★ Top pick | 10″ (4-wheel) | 265 lb | 6.2 mph | 4.4★ (46) |
| Golden Buzzaround EX Most comfortable | 9″ (4-wheel) | 330 lb | 5.0 mph | 4.7★ (verified) |
| Aotedor Lightweight Best on a budget | 7″ | 300 lb | 3.7 mph | 4.5★ (277) |
| Pride Go-Go Sport | 3-wheel | 325 lb | 4.7 mph | 4.4★ (109) |
4.4★ (46 ratings) · 10″ wheels · rated ~25 mi range · 265 lb limit
Why Bakersfield: the longest range of the four for the thirty-mile Kern River Parkway, on bigger 10″ wheels, and it folds for the car. Check the 265 lb limit, the lowest here.
4.7★ (verified owners) · 9″ wheels · up to 330 lb
Why Bakersfield: the highest rating and capacity here and four-wheel stability — the comfortable step up for the heat and daily use. Comes apart for a car boot, though it does not fold as flat.
4.5★ (277 ratings) · folds compact · up to 300 lb
Why Bakersfield: the cheapest and most owner-reviewed here, light to lift into a car and easy to store — a good budget fit for the flat parkway and shorter trips.
4.4★ (109 ratings) · compact · up to 325 lb
Why Bakersfield: a tight turning circle for shops and indoor use, and easy to bring along. Four wheels are steadier out on the parkway.
Watch: the Buzzaround EX, our comfortable alternative
An independent walkthrough of the Golden Buzzaround EX — our comfortable, higher-capacity alternative to the Glashow — showing the four-wheel frame, seat, controls and how it comes apart to transport.
Video: Golden Buzzaround EX review (YouTube). Polaris Mobility is not affiliated with the reviewer.
Still choosing? Our guide to the best four-wheel scooters ranks the stable models side by side, the full scooter catalogue lists every model we cover, and if you are shopping for a relative elsewhere you can read our guides for other cities.
Bakersfield mobility scooter FAQ
What transit is there for seniors in Bakersfield, California?
Golden Empire Transit (GET). It operates the city’s buses with reduced senior fares through its GET&go programme, and for riders who cannot use the fixed routes it runs GET-A-Lift, a curb-to-curb ADA paratransit service seven days a week (reserve on 661-869-2438). GET is also the county’s designated dial-a-ride agency for seniors and riders with a disability. Between the buses and door-to-door service, a trip the scooter, the summer heat or a foggy morning cannot manage is covered.
Where can you ride a mobility scooter in Bakersfield?
On the Kern River Parkway, above all. The paved trail runs some thirty miles along the Kern River through the heart of the city — flat, well-maintained and easy, with many entrances, free parking lots and links to California State University Bakersfield and to shops and restaurants. You can ride a short section or make a long day of it. One winter caution: on a dense tule-fog morning, wait for the fog to lift or take GET-A-Lift instead, because drivers cannot see a scooter in heavy fog.
Does Medi-Cal cover a mobility scooter in California?
It can. California expanded Medicaid, and Medi-Cal can cover medically necessary durable medical equipment, including a power wheelchair or scooter, for eligible residents when a doctor documents the need and you use an enrolled provider — and in a working city, many residents qualify. If you are 65 or older, your route is Medicare, whose Part B may cover a scooter on similar terms. Every funded route uses an approved supplier, so a scooter bought on Amazon is a separate out-of-pocket purchase.
What is the best mobility scooter for Bakersfield?
Our top pick is the Glashow S1 Folding, because Bakersfield’s riding is the thirty-mile Kern River Parkway and the city is spread out, so range and bigger wheels matter: the S1 has the longest range of the four, 10-inch wheels, and it folds for a car to reach a trailhead. Check its 265 lb limit first, the lowest of the four. If you would rather have the most comfort and capacity, the Buzzaround EX steps up, and on a budget the Aotedor is a genuine choice.