For Patients & Families
Arranging a Ride for Someone You Love
A nurse-owned, locally dispatched transportation service for families across Fort Worth, Dallas and DFW — for the parent who no longer drives, the spouse recovering from surgery, or yourself. Call or text and we'll take it from there.
Straight Answers
What information does dispatch need for a quote?
Dispatch needs the passenger's name and a callback number, the pickup and destination addresses, the appointment time, the mobility level, whether the trip is one-time or recurring, and how the ride will be paid for.
Can someone stay with a loved one during an appointment?
Yes. A family member or companion can ride along, and you can also ask about a paid companion, CNA, MA, or Nurse escort who stays through the appointment if your loved one shouldn't be left alone.
How far in advance should a family book?
As early as you can, especially for a specific appointment time, but same-day and next-day requests are handled regularly — call and we'll tell you honestly whether your timeline works.
Is this an ambulance service?
No. Presence NEMT provides scheduled, non-emergency transportation, not emergency response or medical care en route. If someone is having a medical emergency, call 911.
Arranging a Ride for a Parent, Spouse or Yourself
Most people who call us have never booked medical transportation before. Maybe your mom's driving days are over, your husband can no longer manage stairs and a car seat after his stroke, or you're the one who needs a ride to dialysis three mornings a week and you're tired of asking neighbors for favors. There's no wrong way to start the conversation — call or text (817) 900-6368 and tell us who needs the ride and what they need help with.
Presence NEMT is nurse-owned and locally dispatched in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which means the person answering the phone understands what you mean when you say 'she uses a walker but can't do stairs' or 'he's in a power chair and can't transfer himself.' You don't need medical terminology — plain description of the situation is enough for us to send the right vehicle and the right amount of help.
What to Expect on the First Trip
A driver arrives at the scheduled pickup window and comes to the door rather than waiting at the curb — that's what we mean by door-through-door assistance. They'll help your loved one out of the house, down the driveway or ramp, and into the vehicle, securing a wheelchair or transport chair as needed. The same care applies at the destination: your family member is walked or wheeled inside, not dropped at the entrance to find their own way.
If this is a first-time appointment trip, it helps to know roughly how long the visit will take. We can wait through a short appointment or schedule a separate return pickup for a longer one like an infusion session — tell dispatch which one makes sense when you book, and we'll confirm the arrangement before the driver leaves.
What Dispatch Needs From You
You don't need to disclose a diagnosis or medical history to book a ride — we only need what affects how we get your loved one safely from one door to another.
- Passenger name and a mobile number for whoever should get trip updates
- Pickup address, including the building, unit, wing or room when it applies
- Destination address and the appointment or chair time
- Mobility: ambulatory, manual wheelchair, power wheelchair, scooter, bariatric equipment, or BRODA / Traversa reclined positioning
- Whether the passenger needs door-through-door help, and whether stairs are involved
- One-time trip or a recurring schedule, and whether a return ride is needed
- Whether an optional companion, CNA, MA, or Nurse is being requested
- Who is paying: private pay, a facility account, or an organization or broker authorization
Arranging Transportation From Out of Town
A lot of our callers aren't local. An adult child in Chicago is trying to get a parent in Fort Worth to a cardiology follow-up, or a sibling in Houston is coordinating a discharge ride for a parent leaving a Dallas hospital. You can set up and pay for a trip entirely by phone without being in Texas, and you can ask us to call or text you directly once your parent has been picked up and again once they've arrived.
For families managing care from a distance, a standing weekly or biweekly schedule for recurring appointments — dialysis, therapy, follow-up visits — often removes the recurring stress of re-arranging a ride every time, and it means one phone call sets the pattern instead of a new one each week.
Waiting Through an Appointment, and Escort Options
Some appointments are quick; others, like infusion or a specialist visit with imaging, can run long and unpredictably. When you book, let us know if you'd like the driver to wait and bring your loved one straight home, or if a separate pickup should be scheduled once the appointment is finished — either can work depending on the visit.
If your family member shouldn't be left alone in a waiting room, or you simply want another set of hands available during the appointment, you can ask about a companion, CNA, MA, or Nurse escort riding along. This is arranged in advance and is separate from the ride itself, so ask about availability and cost when you call.
Mobility Options for Every Kind of Rider
- Ambulatory riders who can walk with minimal assistance
- Manual and power wheelchair users, with a ramp or lift and four-point securement
- Scooter users
- Bariatric passengers, with appropriately capable vehicles and equipment
- Riders who do better in a reclined, supported position — we offer BRODA and Traversa transport chairs as a stretcher alternative for positioning comfort (not for patients who require ambulance-level medical monitoring)
Paying for a Ride Without a Runaround
You shouldn't have to explain your family's whole medical history just to find out what a ride costs. Payment arrangements vary by trip and by payer, so the most direct way to get a straight answer is to call and describe the trip — pickup, destination, distance and mobility needs — and ask what it will cost and how payment works for your situation, including private pay.
We're straightforward about pricing over the phone before you commit to anything, and we'd rather tell you plainly what applies to you than have you guess.
When to Call 911 Instead
Presence NEMT is a non-emergency medical transportation service, not an ambulance company. If your loved one is having a medical emergency — chest pain, difficulty breathing, a fall with a possible serious injury, sudden confusion — call 911. We're the right call for a scheduled appointment, a hospital discharge once a patient is medically stable to travel, recurring treatment, or getting someone home comfortably; we are not equipped for emergency response.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far in advance do I need to book?
- As early as you can, especially for a specific appointment time, but call even for a same-day or next-day need — we handle those regularly and will tell you honestly whether it's possible to fit your timeline.
- Can I book a ride for my parent if I don't live nearby?
- Yes. Many families arrange transportation entirely by phone from out of state. We can update you by phone or text when your loved one is picked up and again when they arrive.
- Will the driver help my mom from her front door to the car?
- Yes, that's standard door-through-door assistance — the driver comes inside to help rather than waiting at the curb, and does the same at the destination.
- What if my husband uses a power wheelchair?
- We accommodate manual and power wheelchairs and scooters with a ramp or lift and proper securement. Tell us the type of chair when you book so we send the right vehicle.
- Can someone ride along with my family member, or should I ask about an escort?
- A family member or companion can ride along, and you can also ask about a paid companion, CNA, MA, or Nurse escort if your loved one needs extra supervision or support during the trip.
- What does a ride cost, and do you take insurance or Medicaid?
- Cost and payment options vary by trip and by payer. Call with your specific pickup, destination and mobility needs and we'll walk you through what applies, including private pay.
- Is this the same as calling an ambulance?
- No. Presence NEMT provides scheduled, non-emergency transportation. If there is a medical emergency, call 911.
- Can you wait during a doctor's appointment and bring my dad straight home?
- Yes, for many appointments the driver can wait and return your dad home afterward. For longer visits like infusion, we can schedule a separate return pickup instead — tell us which fits when you book.
Ready to Book a Ride for Your Loved One?
Call or text (817) 900-6368 with the pickup, destination and mobility needs, and we'll confirm a time that works.