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CUSTOMER STORY
How Two Women Are Changing Lives with Their Wheelchair Accessible NEMT Business
“We knew we wanted BraunAbility for the durability... [BraunAbility is] really big on compliance and regulations, so we knew that the BraunAbility vehicles would meet the safety standards that we needed for our business.”
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For Monica Barrett and Jasmine Archie, starting a non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) business was a ‘no brainer’. The pair opened their business, MJ Reliable Transportation in 2019. They have provided transportation for residents of Orange County, California ever since, but for them, the desire to start an NEMT business was personal.
“My father [went] legally blind right around the time when [we] were looking to start our business. This was the perfect opportunity to help others that experience the same barriers as my father with transportation due to his disability”, Barrett said.
Having previously worked in a hospital setting, Archie saw first-hand the positive impacts of non-emergency medical transportation for people with disabilities and older adults. “There were a lot of patients that were missing their appointments due to lack of transportation,” she said, emphasizing, “I felt compelled to do something because there are a lot of health plans that offer transportation, but they don't offer wheelchair [accessible] transportation. I knew that [this] was my opportunity to step in and fill the gap”.
Together, the two have helped people across Orange County, California to get to and from medical facilities, and they do it all with the reliable transportation of their BraunAbility Dodge Grand Caravans.
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Wheelchair Accessible Vans for Non-Emergency Medical Transport (NEMT)
Archie and Barrett have three wheelchair accessible vans in their fleet. The vehicles feature manual, rear-entry ramps, which the two find to be low maintenance and easy to use.
“We like that the vehicles are spacious. The conversion is something that we can rely on because of the long-standing [BraunAbility] name within itself,” Barrett said.
Archie is particularly fond of the rear-entry vehicle conversion, which she says makes loading and unloading passengers ‘so simple’. She emphasized, “We have worked with other NEMT providers, so we deal with a lot of different brands. I have to say that BraunAbility makes it so easy for providers to load and unload our clients.”
Not only are Barrett and Archie fans of the BraunAbility vehicles but their clients enjoy the vehicles too. Barrett said, “Our customers are always raving about the vehicles being a smooth ride. Many times, when you experience a conversion on vehicles, it can affect the quality of the vehicle. We have not experienced that.” Barrett emphasized the pair are not just offering rides to clients, but an overall experience, which they say has been made possible in large part due to their BraunAbility wheelchair accessible vehicles.
BraunAbility Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
According to Archie, “All of our vehicles are BraunAbility. We chose BraunAbility because [it] is like a household staple. Even before I got into this industry, I knew that BraunAbility [made] top-notch wheelchair converted vehicles.” She continued, “We knew we wanted BraunAbility for the durability.” With their fleet of three accessible vehicles, the pair have helped hundreds of people in their community to get to and from necessary medical appointments. “[BraunAbility is] really big on compliance and regulations, so we knew that the BraunAbility vehicles would meet the safety standards that we needed for our business”, Archie said.
Community Accessibility with BraunAbility Wheelchair Vans
The services Archie and Barrett provide have played a significant role in increasing accessibility in their local community. Archie said, “Our community is grateful for the services that we provide. When we pull up, they're so excited to see us.” She continued, “What [we] think about all the time is how can we expand our fleet? How can we offer more services to our community? We want to be able to touch a broader audience.”
Barrett shared a similar sentiment stating, “In the [future], we want to touch a wider audience. Being a woman-owned minority business, our goal is to continue to touch those individuals that are overlooked [and] are experiencing these barriers.”
Barrett and Archie both take great pride in serving their community. They encourage those who are interested in starting a wheelchair transportation business to consider the significant impacts an NEMT business can have on a local community. If you’re interested in starting an NEMT business, or you’re in need of commercial wheelchair accessible vehicles, your local BraunAbility dealer is here to help. Contact your local BraunAbility dealer today.
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