Start a Senior Living Facility Transport Contractor

1. 1

   Decide your service scope

   Senior-living transport ranges from ambulatory group shuttles for shopping and outings to individual wheelchair-accessible appointment runs. Decide which you will offer, because it drives the vehicle and licensing you need. A facility often wants a partner who can cover both scheduled group trips and one-off medical appointments.

2. 2

   Acquire accessible vehicles

   Most senior communities need at least wheelchair-accessible capability, so an accessible van or small cutaway shuttle with a lift is the typical starting vehicle. Buy for the mix of group and individual trips you will run. Reliable, comfortable, accessible vehicles are what the facility and its residents judge you on.

3. 3

   Handle licensing and insurance

   Depending on scope, you may need a passenger-carrier or NEMT permit, commercial insurance, and drivers with clean records and passenger endorsements or medical-transport training. Confirm requirements with your state and local regulators. Facilities will require certificates of insurance before signing.

4. 4

   Sign recurring facility contracts

   The whole advantage of this model is the recurring contract: a fixed schedule of shuttle runs plus on-call appointment transport for a monthly or per-trip fee. Pitch assisted-living directors and activity coordinators on reliability and freeing their staff from driving. One or two facility contracts can anchor a full schedule.

5. 5

   Optimize routing and scheduling

   Profit comes from utilization, so batch appointments, plan efficient shuttle routes, and keep vehicles busy across the day. Simple scheduling and routing discipline lets one vehicle serve more residents. Utilization, not headline rates, is what makes the contract profitable.

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