For medical transport operators
When to step up from vans to a lift bus
A lift bus earns its keep when your work includes shared runs and more wheelchair riders than a van can carry at once. One driver then moves several riders on a single trip. If these sound like your week, it is time to look.
Four signs you have outgrown vans
- You regularly turn down or split wheelchair trips because a van has one or two securement positions.
- Your broker or facility contracts offer group runs: dialysis, day programs or adult day care with several riders at once.
- Drivers spend more time loading and returning empty than driving riders.
- You need a vehicle you can keep under the CDL line with more wheelchair positions than a van offers.
Check before you buy
- Count wheelchair positions plus seats against the 16-person CDL line with the CDL checker.
- Choose the boarding setup with lift, ramp or low-floor.
- Get your broker's vehicle requirements in writing, including age and equipment.
- Price it against current listings on the NEMT numbers page.
Common questions
How many wheelchair positions does a paratransit bus have?
It depends on the layout. Small paratransit buses commonly carry several wheelchair positions plus ambulatory seats, and many seats fold to make room. Count positions on the specific bus, because each one also counts toward the 16-person CDL line.
Does a new NEMT bus have to be wheelchair accessible?
Under 49 CFR 37.103, a private company in the business of transporting people that buys a new vehicle with 8 or more seats for on-demand service must make it accessible, unless its service as a whole is equivalent for riders with disabilities.
Do I need a CDL for a paratransit bus?
Not under federal rules if it is built for 15 or fewer people including the driver, counting wheelchair positions, and rated under 26,001 lb. Check a specific bus with the CDL checker.