How to Market and Grow Your NEMT Business

03/19/2021

Last updated: 01/05/2026

7 mins read

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Starting your own NEMT business is an exciting venture. As is the case with any new business, there’s a never-ending list of to-dos. You have to purchase vehicles, insure those vehicles, hire drivers and insure them, and after that’s all set, you need customers. The truth is, there’s no easy way to start a business, and the work doesn’t stop once you hit the ground running. One of the biggest aspects of building your business and finding new customers comes from the marketing efforts you create. If this is uncharted territory for you, don’t worry. We created a guide to help you dip your toes into the marketing world. After all, if you want your business to succeed, you’ll have to attract customers somehow.

How to Market Your Medical Transportation Business

NEMT is a unique industry but it no longer occupies a non-traditional advertising space These days, it's common to see ads almost everywhere we look—TV, streaming services, Internet browsers, social media, and more. And here's what many NEMT providers miss: regardless of the age group, your passengers are seeing those ads too.

The assumption that seniors, who are the most frequent users of NEMT, are not online is outdated. More than 60 percent of adults 65 and older now own smartphones and regularly search online for health and transportation services, including NEMT options near them.

NEMT is not an exclusive service for the older demographics. It also serves a wide range of riders, including people with disabilities, post-surgery patients, dialysis and therapy clients, and Medicaid recipients of all ages. Moreover, in many cases, you should not be marketing to the riders themselves. Quite often, trips are researched and scheduled by adult children and caregivers, who are even more reliant on Google and social media to find reliable providers.

This penetration of the digital space into all aspects of our lives means that effective NEMT marketing must work on two fronts: the traditional face-to-face relationship building and a strong digital presence. Relying on only one leaves growth opportunities untapped.

The Power of Personal Connections

The best place to start is by researching your local nursing and retirement homes, assisted living facilities, and healthcare providers. If you can sell yourself to these groups, you'll be looking at a number of potential clients simply from building a relationship with a single company. Plus, once your customers feel comfortable around you and your drivers, they'll be likely to stick with you anytime they need a ride, rather than looking for a new company.

Personal, face-to-face marketing remains incredibly valuable in the NEMT industry. Consider these approaches:

Visit healthcare facilities directly with professional proposals highlighting your safety record, compliance standards, and scheduling capabilities
Leave business cards and pamphlets at retirement homes, outpatient clinics, dialysis centers, physical therapy offices, and hospital discharge planning departments
Attend health fairs and senior expos to meet potential clients and partners in person
Sponsor community health events to build brand recognition and demonstrate your commitment to local wellness
Network with case managers and social workers who coordinate transportation for their clients

Personal connections build trust that digital marketing cannot replace, and it is still true today for the medical transportation industry. When administrators know you personally or a senior has met you face-to-face, confidence forms in ways an online ad cannot match.

The Digital Imperative: Everyone Has a Smartphone Now

However, ignoring digital marketing in 2025 means missing a massive opportunity. With smartphone penetration exceeding 85% among U.S. adults and growing rapidly even among seniors, your online presence directly impacts your ability to attract new business.

Nearly everyone has a smartphone now, regardless of age. So when a 72-year-old with diabetes needs a ride to their endocrinologist, they're ever more likely to search Google before calling around, and your business should show up in that search query.

Essential digital marketing strategies include:

Website creation and optimization: You must have a mobile-friendly website that loads quickly and clearly communicates your services, coverage area, and booking options. Include testimonials, FAQ sections addressing Medicaid eligibility and costs, and click-to-call buttons.

Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Unless you operate across the country, you should not try to rank for nationwide searches. Instead, optimize for terms like "NEMT services near me," "wheelchair transportation [your area]," and "medical transport [your city]." As one marketing guide notes, when someone searches on their phone, you want to appear at the top.

Google My Business: List your business to appear in local search results and Maps. Encourage satisfied clients and healthcare partners to leave reviews and promptly address any negative feedback.

Paid advertising: Google Ads and Microsoft Ads can drive targeted traffic from people actively searching right now. If you have funds to supercharge your marketing efforts, then work with a professional to launch an ad campaign.

Social media presence: Many seniors are on Facebook and increasingly other social media, as are their adult children and caregivers. Grow your audience by sharing industry tips, staff highlights, and client testimonials. Use LinkedIn for building B2B relationships with healthcare facilities, and do not forget that social media platforms also have internal advertising.

NEMT passenger apps: Be closer to your passengers by offering an app that allows riders to book, track, and pay for rides directly via smartphone.

What Sets You Apart?

Identifying your competitive advantages is a great way to set your business apart from the competition. For instance, if you’re a brand-new business, you innately have an advantage already: it’s easy to make personal connections with your customers. This may seem like a minute aspect of your business, but customers value the way they’re treated and interacted with. As a small business, you have the capability to really get to know every client and their needs in order to provide the best service possible to them. This isn’t something that should stop as you grow, but it’s definitely something that becomes tougher as you gain more clients. Cultivating these relationships right off the bat will set a precedent within your company that providing a ride to a customer is more than just that—it’s a place where they should feel safe, comfortable, and cared for.

Personal connections are huge, but they aren’t the only thing that will give your business a leg up in the industry. Having high standards for your employees, including on-time performance, clean and safe vehicles, and error-free trips, will all boost your company’s reputation.

Have a clear and unique value proposition. Let people know if you have wheelchair-friendly vehicles or, specialized equipment Leverage compliance as a marketing tool, and demonstrate your commitment to ADA standards, Medicaid guidelines, and HIPAA-compliant data handling to build immediate trust.

Invest in NEMT Software

It may seem like an additional expense when your business is still small, but NEMT software is a useful tool for companies of any size. The program helps you schedule, route, dispatch, and bill every trip efficiently and without error. Not only will it save you and your employees time, but you’ll also save money in the long term. If you’re interested in learning what NEMT software can do for you, set up a demo with the team at RouteGenie for more information!