Key facts
What must a wheelchair van's lift or ramp meet?
Where 49 CFR part 38 applies, the vehicle needs a lift or ramp meeting section 38.23: a lift's design load is at least 600 pounds, its platform has a minimum clear width of 28.5 inches at the platform surface, and the entrance ramp at the platform edge is no steeper than 1:8 for a rise of up to 3 inches.[1]
Who pays for wheelchair trips?
Medicaid, for eligible members' trips to medical care, through the state or its broker; hospitals, clinics and care homes on contract; and private-pay riders. Medicaid transportation can be provided by ambulance, taxicab, common carrier or other appropriate means, matched to the member's needs.[2][3]
What training do drivers need?
Safe use of the lift or ramp, securing the wheelchair and the passenger, and helping passengers in and out; your broker or contract will list its own requirements and ask for records.
How do you dispatch accessible vehicles?
By vehicle type: a wheelchair booking must only be offered to a vehicle that can take it, and repeat appointments are best entered once as standing orders.
In TaxiDex, vehicle types decide what can be dispatched, so a wheelchair-accessible booking only goes to a vehicle that can take it; recurring bookings handle standing orders.
Frequently asked questions
Is there demand for wheelchair-accessible transport?
Accessible vehicles are a small share of the licensed fleet: in England, 34,500 of the licensed taxis and private hire vehicles were wheelchair accessible in April 2026, 4% fewer than in 2024.
Do I need a special licence for a wheelchair van?
You need the licences any passenger vehicle for hire needs where you operate, plus whatever your Medicaid broker or contracts require for accessible service.
Sources
Fees and rules change. Each source is the official page we read, with the date we read it; check it before you apply or pay.
- [1] eCFR: 49 CFR 38.23, mobility aid accessibility (lifts and ramps) (read 3 Nov 2026)
- [2] eCFR: 42 CFR 440.170(a), transportation and the NEMT brokerage program (read 3 Nov 2026)
- [3] eCFR: 42 CFR 431.53, assurance of transportation (read 3 Nov 2026)
- [4] Department for Transport: Taxi and private hire vehicle statistics, England: 2026 (read 3 Nov 2026)
Related
- Wheelchair-accessible vehicles explained
- Start a medical transport business with one van
- NEMT dispatch and billing software
- How to become a NEMT provider with a broker
- NEMT driver certification: what drivers need
- How much does it cost to start a NEMT business?
- How to start a transportation business for the elderly