Plain answers about medical transportation.
Guides for families arranging transportation for someone they love — and operational resources for the facility coordinators, discharge planners, and case managers we work with. No jargon, no dead ends.
Start here.
Everything we publish is written in-house by the people who actually schedule and run the transports.
What is non-emergency medical transportation
It is transportation for someone who has no medical emergency but still cannot simply get in a car and go. Here is who it is for, the four levels of service, and how it differs from a rideshare.
Read the Guide BookingHow booking works — five steps
Every trip follows the same clear process, so you always know what to expect — and what to have ready before you reach out.
Read the Guide On the DayGetting home again — will-call and Wait & Return
Appointments never end exactly when they are supposed to. There are two ways we bring a client home, and only one of them is the default.
Read the Guide On the DayCan a family member or caregiver ride along
Yes — and the first companion rides free. Here is how companions work, what happens when nobody is available to come, and why that is not the same thing as our flight service.
Read the Guide PoliciesCancellations, changes, and no-shows
Plans change — appointments move, people are admitted, treatments run long. This is the cancellation policy in plain language, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Read the GuideMore guides are on the way.
We're writing these as we go, starting with the questions we're asked most on the phone. Don't see yours? Call and ask us directly — the answer usually becomes the next guide.
Written for whoever is doing the arranging.
A daughter booking her mother’s first transport and a discharge planner clearing a bed need different things from the same guide. So we write for both.
Plain-Language Guides
Written for someone arranging transportation for the first time, or for a loved one. What to expect, what to ask, and how it works — no jargon.
Operational Resources
For the discharge planners, case managers, and facility coordinators who book on a client’s behalf — how a trip is set up, what we need, and how the return leg works. Facility accounts are invoiced Net-30; email reservation@rainbowroadllc.com to set one up.
Answered without the runaround.
Still unsure? Call (847) 585-8888 — a real person answers, and transportation is scheduled 24/7.
Curb-to-curb means we meet at the curb; door-to-door adds a hand between the door and the vehicle; door-through-door means a Transportation Specialist comes inside to get the client and walks them inside at the other end — to the check-in desk, or the exam room if needed. Door-through-door is what we do, on every service.
Set it up once and it repeats on a standing schedule — the same days, the same times, and the same Transportation Specialist wherever scheduling allows, so your loved one sees a familiar face. See Dialysis & Recurring, or call scheduling on (847) 585-8888 and we will build the standing order with you.
Private pay: any major debit or credit card on file, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App — and PayPal, Klarna, Afterpay, or Affirm if you’d rather pay over time (some offer 0% installments, subject to the provider’s approval). Facilities can be set up on Net-30 invoicing. We don’t bill insurance directly — if you have non-emergency medical transportation coverage, call your plan.
Our vans are rear-entry with a fold-out ramp and four-point securement, and they take standard and bariatric chairs — see Our Fleet. Tell us the chair at booking and we’ll assign the right vehicle and securement. Not sure of the type? Describe it and we’ll match it.
Yes. One family member, companion, or caregiver rides free; a second person is $25 each way. Let us know at booking how many are coming so we assign a vehicle with room. The full guide: who can ride along.
Transportation is scheduled 24/7. The contact center is staffed weekdays 7:00 AM–10:00 PM and weekends 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; outside those hours a limited team plus our assistant, Iris, handles intake so a booking is never held up until morning. Every way to reach us is on the Contact page.
Done reading? We can take it from here.
Tell us the trip and a clear quote comes back — or call scheduling and we'll walk you through it.