How to Land a Contract with LogistiCare

If you’re starting a new NEMT or paratransit business--or you’re just looking to expand service you’re already offering--you probably already know how important scoring a big contract can be for your business. That being said, if you want more background on starting your own transit company, including why contracts are so important, read this first.

When it comes to paratransit and NEMT services, there are multiple large brokers that represent a big portion of the market share when it comes to contract business opportunities. Of all of these large brokers, LogistiCare is one of the most important providers. If you’re curious as to what other brokers might be operating in your area, we’ve compiled a handy overview here.

Because LogisitiCare has been operating for a while, they have their own set of fairly high standards that anyone trying to secure a contract will need to take into account before bidding begins. Although it may seem like a lot, take heart in knowing that if your transit organization is ready to approach LogisitiCare, you’re probably ready to approach other brokers, too. 

So what will it take for a big company like LogistiCare to want to partner with you to offer NEMT or paratransit services? There are four big things: 

Have insurance!

Although this should go without saying, you need commercial insurance for your NEMT/paratransit vehicle, and LogistiCare will expect this insurance to be comprehensive and current.

Besides being required by law, good insurance protects all parties involved should something go wrong. Avoiding getting reputable insurance could end up costing you more than just lost contracts in the long term; LogistiCare knows this, which is why it’s a mandate if you want to do business with them.

Make sure you have driver certification in place.

Although this isn’t required by all ride brokers, having NEMT driver certification falls into the category of “best practice,” showing that you are ready to take your company to the next level when it comes to both professionalism and customer care. LogistiCare is one such broker that expects all contracted drivers to go through the additional training required for professional certification. Many large providers like LogistiCare can even help contractors find the information necessary to get drivers certified. 

Again, getting your drivers certified doesn’t just look good on paper; the training will help your drivers deliver the best service possible and know exactly what to do in the unlikely event that something goes wrong. Again, having certified drivers will give you a competitive advantage when it comes to bidding for contracts from various types of providers--it really is a worthwhile investment. 

Implement quality transit dispatch software.

Although being able to see all drivers/vehicles in real-time is not yet an industry requirement, NEMT/paratransit providers should work under the assumption that this is going to be the case soon. 

Good dispatch software does so much more than just providing the capacity to monitor vehicles live. It can help your organization save time, money, and mileage by planning “smart” routes; most reputable software can even help with reporting important data like ridership numbers, timeliness of pickups, etc. Having the capacity to provide all of this information will make your bid more attractive, especially to the experienced brokers like Logisticare.

Besides helping you be eligible for some of the bigger and more competitive contracts, having good transit software can also help your company keep up with the breakneck pace of mobile technology in particular. Technologies that are only emerging now (like semi-autonomous vehicles) may become important parts of the NEMT/paratransit business scene relatively quickly. If you’re already using cutting-edge dispatch software, implementing new technology will be much easier. 

Apply!

Although the size and scope of LogistiCare’s business may be somewhat intimidating, you’ll never know unless you put your company out there and apply (after meeting all of their service requirements first)!

Although Logisticare does have mandates when it comes to businesses bidding for their contracts, think of these requirements as a good thing, because they all essentially cover best practices for the industry and ensure that you’re doing better than just the bare minimum. For example, smaller brokers might not require that drivers are certified, but you’ll ultimately be able to provide better service to your passengers if your drivers are experts in what they are doing.  

LogistiCare And Beyond

Once you’ve gotten these basic requirements taken care of, you’re ready to start going after bigger contracts, and not just with LogistiCare. Being insured, having certified drivers, and having good transit software should all be in place, not just because it looks good to potential business partners but because these things will allow your company to operate more safely and effectively, something that everyone from brokers to passengers can appreciate.

Don’t forget how important the last element on our list is, though! If you’ve done all the work to get your business up to industry standards, it’s time to be proud of that work and get your name out there. For other tips on how to run the most competitive NEMT company possible, read here for customer service tips, or even learn more about how to make sure you really do have the best dispatch software.