Ambulatory Transportation in Northern Virginia, DC & Maryland

Door-through-door, not curb-to-curb

The difference between our ambulatory service and a ride app is what happens at each end of the trip.

At pickup, the driver comes to the door, or into the home or the facility lobby if that is where the rider is waiting. They help the rider with a coat and a bag, walk beside them to the vehicle at their pace, and help them into the seat and buckle up. A walker or cane is stowed in the van.

At the appointment, the driver walks the rider inside, to the right building and the right floor if it is a large campus, and makes sure they are checked in. For the ride home, the driver meets them inside the facility and does the same in reverse, all the way back through the front door.

That is what we mean by door-through-door. Ambulatory does not mean the rider is on their own; it means they travel in a seat rather than a wheelchair.

Is ambulatory the right level of service?

Book ambulatory when the rider can walk a short distance with a steadying arm, a cane or a walker, and can get in and out of a standard vehicle seat with help. Typical ambulatory riders include:

• Seniors who no longer drive, going to routine appointments, the pharmacy or the lab.
• Riders recovering from a procedure who are not allowed to drive home, such as a colonoscopy, cataract surgery or anything with sedation.
• Dialysis patients who still walk in on their own, on a standing weekly schedule.
• Riders with vision loss, early memory loss or balance problems who need someone beside them, not just a car.

Book wheelchair transportation instead if the rider cannot cover the distance from the door to the vehicle on their feet, or if standing is unsafe. Book stretcher transportation if the rider cannot sit upright safely for the length of the trip. Riders over 300 pounds should be booked as bariatric transport.

When in doubt, describe the rider to dispatch at (703) 304-7889. Booking one level up costs a little more; booking one level down means the trip does not happen.

How an ambulatory trip works

1. You book. Online through the reservations page, by phone at (703) 304-7889, by email at Reservations@hmtransport.com, or in our mobile app. Tell us the pickup address, the destination and appointment time, whether the rider uses a cane or walker, the number of steps at the home, and roughly how long the appointment will run if you need a return.
2. We confirm. You get a confirmation call or text within two hours of booking, with the pickup time and the quoted price.
3. The driver comes to the door. They introduce themselves, help the rider out of the home at their own pace, and stow any walker or cane.
4. The ride. A seat in the van, belted in, with room for a family member or caregiver if you have told us.
5. Walked in at the other end. The driver walks the rider into the building and to the check-in desk.
6. The return. We pick up at the scheduled time, or wait during a short appointment if you have booked wait time, and walk the rider back into their home.

What ambulatory transportation costs

Ambulatory and wheelchair trips are priced the same. Every trip is a pick-up fee plus mileage: the pick-up fee covers the vehicle, the driver and the assistance at both ends; the mileage covers the distance. These are our 2026 private-pay rates.

What that looks like on a real trip. A ten-mile round trip to an appointment is $55 plus five extra miles at $3.00 on each leg, so $70 each way and $140 in total. The same ten miles one way is $90 plus $30, so $120. On a typical five-to-twenty-five mile journey inside Northern Virginia, expect roughly $105 to $165 one way and $110 to $230 for a round trip.

Add-ons, named up front. Stair chair team, $75 each way, only when the rider cannot manage the steps with the driver’s help. After hours (before 7am or after 6pm), $30. Prescheduled wait time, $75 per hour. Additional stop, such as a pharmacy on the way home, $20. Credit card processing, 3%.

Crossing into DC or Maryland does not change the rate. The full rate card and a trip estimator are on our rates page.

Who pays: Medicaid, Medicare, private pay and facilities

Medicaid. If the rider is a Virginia Medicaid member and the trip is to a covered medical service, the ride should cost them nothing, and it is not booked directly with us. Call the transportation number on your Medicaid ID card; the brokers we work with are MTM Health and SafeRide Health. Request H&M Transport specifically when you book your ride.

Medicare. Original Medicare does not cover non-emergency rides to appointments. Some Medicare Advantage plans include a transportation benefit, usually a fixed number of trips per year, run through a broker; the brokers we work with are MTM Health and SafeRide Health. If your plan has the benefit, book through the plan and ask for H&M Transport by name.

Private pay. Families booking directly pay the published rates above. We quote the trip before you commit to it and the quote is what you pay. Long-term care insurance sometimes reimburses medical transportation, and veterans may have transport benefits through the VA.

Facilities. Hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, dialysis centers and senior communities book on contracted rates, and standing orders are welcome. Details are on our facilities page.

Our drivers and vehicles

Screened and trained drivers. Every driver passes a criminal background check and drug screening, and driving records are monitored continuously. Drivers are trained in passenger assistance, safe walking support and helping riders in and out of the vehicle.

Room for the things riders bring. Our vans have space for walkers, rollators, canes and a bag, and a seat for a family member or caregiver when you ask for one.

One fleet, matched to the rider. Ambulatory riders travel in the same wheelchair-accessible minivans and full-size vans as the rest of our fleet of more than 80 vehicles. If the rider’s mobility changes on the day, the vehicle can usually still take them.

Accreditation. H&M Transport was the first NEMT provider in Virginia to earn NEMTAC accreditation, which audits driver training, vehicle standards and complaint handling. More about our vehicles is on the fleet page.

Appointments we drive to every day

Most ambulatory trips are routine: primary care and specialist visits, physical therapy, imaging, lab work, eye appointments and outpatient procedures. When a procedure involves sedation, the facility will not release the patient to a taxi or a rideshare; they need a responsible escort. Our driver walks the rider in and meets them inside afterwards, which is why outpatient centers regularly send patients to us. See colonoscopy and endoscopy transportation, cataract surgery transportation and physical therapy transportation.

We also drive to and from these hospitals daily:

• Inova Fairfax Hospital
• Inova Alexandria Hospital
• Inova Fair Oaks Hospital
• Inova Loudoun Hospital
• Inova Mount Vernon Hospital
• UVA Health Prince William Medical Center
• Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center
• VHC Health, Arlington
• Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Spring
• Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center

For the full list, see hospitals we serve.

Where we drive

We run ambulatory transportation across Northern Virginia, into Washington DC and through Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, under WMATC authority 3449. Dispatch sits in Gainesville, and our drivers are staged across the service area.

Ambulatory transportation in Manassas · Ambulatory transportation in Woodbridge · Ambulatory transportation in Fairfax · Ambulatory transportation in Alexandria · Ambulatory transportation in Arlington · Ambulatory transportation in Chantilly · Ambulatory transportation in Springfield · Ambulatory transportation in Ashburn · Ambulatory transportation in Leesburg · Ambulatory transportation in Haymarket · Ambulatory transportation in Warrenton · Ambulatory transportation in Culpeper · Ambulatory transportation in Fredericksburg · Ambulatory transportation in Winchester · Ambulatory transportation in Silver Spring, MD

Not on the list? We very likely still cover it. See the full service area or call dispatch.

Booking, notice and cancellations

• Same-day requests: call (703) 304-7889 and speak with dispatch to expedite.
• Notice: we need a minimum of three hours notice for same-day requests and discharges, and we cover most of them inside that window. Booking 24 hours ahead guarantees availability.
• Trip details: use the notes field to tell us the room or unit, the appointment type, how long it is expected to run if you need a return, and the number of steps at the home.
• Stairs: no charge when the rider can manage the steps with the driver’s help. If a stair chair team is needed, it adds $75 each way.
• Weight: for riders over 300 lbs, select bariatric service.
• Changes and cancellations: please cancel or change at least two hours before pickup to avoid a fee, by phone, by email at Reservations@hmtransport.com, or in our mobile app.

Ambulatory transportation FAQ

What is ambulatory transportation?

Non-emergency medical transportation for riders who can walk, with a cane, a walker or a steadying arm, and travel in a standard seat. The driver comes to the door, walks the rider to the van, drives them to the appointment and walks them inside.

How much does ambulatory transportation cost?

A round trip is $55 per leg with five miles included on each leg and $3.00 for each additional mile. A one-way trip is $90 plus $3.00 per mile. A ten-mile round trip is $140 and a ten-mile one-way trip is $120.

How is this different from a taxi or a rideshare?

A taxi or rideshare picks up at the curb and drops off at the curb. Our drivers come to the door, walk the rider out, and walk them into the building and to the check-in desk at the other end, then do the same on the way home.

Can you drive me home after a procedure with sedation?

Yes. Many outpatient centers will not release a sedated patient to a taxi or rideshare. Our driver meets the rider inside the facility and walks them out, and we can take them all the way into their home.

What if the rider uses a walker or rollator?

That is still ambulatory. We stow the walker or rollator in the van and bring it out at the other end.

Can the driver help with steps?

Yes. There is no charge when the rider can manage the steps with the driver’s help. If they cannot, and a stair chair team is needed, it adds $75 each way. Tell us the number of steps when you book.

Can a family member ride along?

Yes. Mention it when you book so we assign a vehicle with the seat available.

Do you wait during the appointment?

For short appointments we can, at $75 per hour of prescheduled wait time. For longer ones we schedule a return pickup, which usually costs less. Tell dispatch roughly how long the appointment will run.

Does Virginia Medicaid cover ambulatory transportation?

Yes, for covered medical trips, and the rider pays nothing. Call the transportation number on your Medicaid ID card; the brokers we work with are MTM Health and SafeRide Health. Request H&M Transport specifically when you book your ride.

How far ahead do I need to book?

Booking 24 hours ahead guarantees availability. For same-day requests we need a minimum of three hours notice, and we cover most of them inside that window.

Is ambulatory transportation the same as an ambulance?

No. There is no medical care or monitoring on board, and we do not take anyone to an emergency room or move a patient between hospitals for a higher level of care. Those are ambulance trips. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.

Can I bring my oxygen?

Yes. You can bring your own portable oxygen, and it is secured for the ride, or we can supply oxygen at $35 per 2-liter tank. Tell us when you book, including your flow rate, so the right setup is in the vehicle.

Can I request a female or male driver?

Yes. Ask when you book and we’ll honor it whenever a driver is available. If we can’t for a particular trip, dispatch will tell you before the ride.

Related services

Wheelchair transportation · Stretcher transportation · Bariatric transport · Dialysis transportation · Senior and elderly transportation · Hospital discharge · All services