The Geography of Inequality
Living in rural America offers beauty and space—but often, it comes with one painful tradeoff: lack of access to healthcare.
Over 20% of Americans live in rural areas, yet rural hospitals are closing at record rates. For many, the nearest specialist might be 90 minutes away. That’s where NEMT becomes more than essential—it becomes life-saving.
Why Transportation is the #1 Barrier
- 41% of rural Medicaid beneficiaries report “no available transport” as their top reason for missed appointments.
- Public transit? Nearly nonexistent in many regions.
- Rideshare apps? Rare or unreliable in areas without cell coverage.
NEMT steps in by providing dedicated vehicles, trained drivers, and Medicaid-backed funding.
Challenges Unique to Rural NEMT
- Long Distances: Fuel and driver time costs increase drastically.
- Fewer Providers: Most rural counties have 0–2 local operators.
- Road Conditions: Unpaved roads, seasonal inaccessibility.
Scaling Smart with ManageNEMT
Providers operating in rural markets benefit enormously from route optimization, smart dispatch, and live vehicle tracking.
ManageNEMT allows dispatchers to:
- Group long-distance trips efficiently
- Adjust instantly to hospital discharge changes
- Coordinate driver breaks for lengthy round trips
Even in low-density areas, technology scales what would otherwise be unsustainable.
"We went from 2 daily trips to 9 with the same fleet. ManageNEMT made rural routing viable." — Montana provider
A Future Worth Driving Toward
Equity in healthcare doesn’t start in the clinic. It starts at the curb, when someone picks up the phone and asks, “Can I get to my doctor?”
With the right technology, the answer can always be yes.