Not sure what to book?
Which transportation do I need?
Ambulatory, wheelchair, bariatric or reclined higher-support — the answer comes from how the passenger moves, not the diagnosis. Three questions and you'll know what to ask for.
Answer three questions
No medical details, nothing saved. This points you to the right kind of trip — dispatch confirms the match before anything is booked.
Answer all three questions and the recommendation appears here.
Presence NEMT is not an emergency ambulance service and does not provide clinical care en route. Call 911 in an emergency.
The question that actually decides the vehicle
Families usually start with the diagnosis. Dispatch starts somewhere else: how does this person get from the bed or the chair into the vehicle, and how long can they sit upright once they are in it? That single answer decides whether a trip is ambulatory, wheelchair, bariatric or a reclined higher-support trip.
Getting it right matters on the day. A wheelchair passenger booked as an ambulatory ride means a vehicle arrives that cannot take the chair. A passenger who cannot sit upright booked as a wheelchair trip means an uncomfortable ride and a transfer nobody planned enough time for.
Ambulatory: walks to the vehicle
The passenger can walk to the door and into the vehicle, with or without a cane, walker or an arm to steady them. They ride in a normal seat with a seat belt and door-to-door assistance at both ends.
- Uses a cane or walker but can stand and pivot
- Can manage a short walk from door to curb with help
- May be unsteady, tired after treatment, or hesitant on stairs
Wheelchair: stays in the chair
The passenger remains in their own manual wheelchair, power wheelchair or scooter for the entire trip. A ramp-equipped vehicle is assigned and the chair is secured before the vehicle moves.
- Power wheelchairs and scooters need the ramp vehicle, not a car
- Tell dispatch the chair type — a heavy power chair changes the vehicle
- Door-to-door means the chair is guided, not left at the curb
Higher-support: reclined positioning and stretcher alternatives
Some passengers cannot tolerate sitting fully upright for the length of the trip — pressure concerns, pain, fatigue, poor trunk control or a recent procedure. A BRODA or Traversa tilt-in-space option supports a reclined position and remains fully non-emergency transportation. It is a stretcher alternative, not an ambulance stretcher.
Bariatric trips sit in the same category for a different reason: the equipment needs a higher weight capacity and the transfer needs more hands and more time.
When it isn't the vehicle you need to decide, it's the support
Sometimes the vehicle is straightforward and the real question is who goes with the passenger. A companion escort stays with someone through a long infusion or a confusing hospital campus. A travel companion accompanies a longer journey. Neither is nursing care, and both are arranged in advance rather than added at the curb.
Scope and safety
Presence NEMT is not an emergency ambulance service and does not provide clinical care en route. Call 911 in an emergency.
Presence NEMT transports passengers who are stable and scheduled. Our team does not provide clinical care, manage oxygen, airways or feeding tubes, or transport ventilator-dependent passengers. Anything requiring active clinical management during transport needs a higher level of transport than NEMT.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What if I choose the wrong option?
- Nothing is booked from this page. Dispatch confirms the level of assistance with you before a vehicle is assigned, and will tell you if a different option fits better.
- Do you need a diagnosis to decide?
- No. We ask how the passenger transfers, how long they can sit upright, what equipment travels with them and whether anyone rides along. That is enough to match the trip.
- Can the level of service change between trips in a series?
- Yes. Recovery, treatment side effects and equipment changes all shift what a passenger needs. Tell dispatch when something changes and the standing schedule is adjusted.
- Is a stretcher alternative the same as an ambulance?
- No. A stretcher alternative is reclined seating for a stable, scheduled passenger. It carries no clinical care and is not an emergency service.
Still not sure? That's a normal call.
Describe the transfer to dispatch and we will match the vehicle and the assistance. Nurse-owned, DFW-based, answering 24/7.