Specialized vans, trained drivers and slow payers. Medical transport companies fund the trip long before the payer settles up.
Apply Now →Non-emergency medical transport carries patients to dialysis, therapy, clinic visits and appointments. Many riders use wheelchairs or need help to get in and out of a vehicle. That means the fleet needs lifts, ramps, securement systems and trained drivers, and such vehicles cost more than a standard van. Insurance and maintenance are higher too.
As with other care services, the trip is done first and the billing comes after. The company pays drivers, fuel and repairs on time, and the payer, whether an insurer, a health plan or a facility contract, pays on its own schedule.
Drivers are paid every period. A company that wins a larger contract needs more drivers, and sometimes attendants, before it sees the first payment.
Claim review, trip documentation requirements and contract invoicing add days or weeks. Missing paperwork can slow payment further, so strong documentation helps cash flow as much as strong operations.
For labor budgeting, the state's 2026 minimum wage is $17 per hour in New York City, Long Island and Westchester and $16 elsewhere, indexed from 2027. Your drivers' actual rates will depend on your market.
| Cost | Timing |
|---|---|
| Wheelchair-accessible vehicles | Large purchase or down payment before added trips can be offered |
| Insurance | Large premiums, often due up front or in installments |
| Vehicle maintenance | Constant, with lifts and ramps needing regular service |
| Dispatch and trip-tracking software | Subscription or setup costs |
| Driver training | Paid time before drivers are productive |
Wheelchair lifts, ramps and securement systems need regular inspection and repair. A lift that fails means a vehicle that cannot take its intended riders, and if there are few spare vehicles, scheduled trips are lost. Keeping a small cushion for repairs avoids cancelling trips and losing contracts.
Driver training and background requirements also cost time and money before a new hire can work independently. Include those costs when you plan to add vehicles. Add a driver, a vehicle and training to your cash-flow forecast, and push the first payment out by the slowest payer's typical delay. That is the period you need to cover, and it is often longer than first expected.
For illustration only: a company adding two accessible vehicles at $140,000 combined has to cover payments, insurance, fuel and driver pay before the new vehicles are fully booked. If the contract that justifies them pays in 45 days, that wait has to be funded. The company should check whether the added trips cover those costs each month.
We offer $25,000 to $5,000,000, funded in as little as 24 hours. FICO 500 and up considered, about three months of business bank statements and no tax returns. The application takes five minutes and uses a soft credit pull. Sole proprietors can apply. Apply here.
Yes. Sole proprietors can apply. About three months of business bank statements are requested, and no tax returns are required.
Vehicle purchases and down payments are typical uses, as are lift and ramp repairs.
Cash on hand covers drivers and fuel while claims are processed. Size the amount to your longest typical wait.
Missing paperwork can delay payment, which extends the time you fund the trip yourself.
No. The application uses a soft credit pull.
Three months of business bank statements and a 5-minute application. FICO 500+ considered. $25,000 to $5,000,000, funded in as little as 24 hours.
Apply Now →It takes about two minutes and it will not affect your credit score.
No obligation • No impact to your credit score
