Why do NEMT Drivers Need a Driver App?

NEMT drivers spend their days on the road, transporting passengers to and from important healthcare visits. On the surface, this sounds like a simple job. But behind the scenes, there’s a lot that goes into planning a trip properly. Once drivers hit the road, they need a reliable way to track routes, passenger information, and have the ability to communicate with dispatchers if any route changes are necessary. This is where a driver app comes in—a piece of a NEMT software system that improves drivers’ daily operations.
What is a NEMT Driver App?
A NEMT driver app is usually part of a full-service NEMT software platform. The driver app is built to allow for seamless communication between driver and dispatcher, real-time trip changes, and GPS tracking whenever necessary. It also makes it easy to check for any issues with vehicles and take note of problems as soon as they appear. A driver app is a great asset for NEMT companies both big and small. Below you’ll find some of the biggest reasons why having a NEMT driver app available for your drivers sets your team up for success.
Track Driver Locations
It’s important to be able to track trips in real time in case any route or scheduling changes are needed on the fly. The driver app with built-in GPS makes it easy for dispatchers to view any vehicle’s location whenever needed. This gives dispatchers piece of mind that passengers are picked up and dropped off at the right time, every time.
Make Trip Changes in Real Time
Sometimes, the route your driver is on isn’t the most efficient anymore. Traffic can impact arrival times, accidents can occur, or there just may generally be a better route available. If this is the case, it’s easy for dispatchers to update your route and change the GPS via the driver app. This gives your team of drivers piece of mind that they’ll get their passengers to an appointment on time no matter what.
Automatically Collect Important Trip Data
There’s a lot of useful trip information that your team might need after trips are completed, so you need a way to track this data. The driver app does so automatically, recording things like timestamps, GPS data, and odometer readings, and also makes it easy to collect passenger signatures right within the app. This allows your business to collect the information it needs without interrupting your drivers’ schedules.
Collect Private Pay Transactions
Private pay clients are huge for your business. If you want to attract them, you need a fast, simple way to collect payments when the trip is completed. Driver apps make it easy to track payments, alert drivers when payments are due, and process credit card, check, and cash payments as soon as rides are finished.
Optional Automated Calling
You want to do everything you can to avoid no-show passengers. Too often, a passenger may decide they simply don’t want a ride anymore but won’t cancel before your drivers head out. This is why it’s great to have a backup solution, like automated calling. A driver app allows you to turn on a feature where, once your driver hits the road and starts their route, an automatic call is sent to the passenger to let them know the driver is en route.
Follow In-App Navigation
Your drivers need to get passengers to and from their appointments safely and on time. This means finding the best routes, avoiding traffic, and being alerted of any setbacks that might slow down the journey ahead. Using a driver app to navigate each trip is the easiest way to find the most efficient routes and avoid unsafe road conditions.
Complete Pre and Post-Trip Checklists
Driver checklists are a great way to ensure your fleet is running smoothly. Before and after each trip, drivers answer vehicle-related questions that help determine if everything is running as it should be. If they find an issue and flag it, it’s then easy for the mechanic to later see exactly what they marked as incorrect so they can fix or determine if anything needs to be done.
Clock in and out From the App
Rather than having a third-party payroll system to add to the confusion of a workday, a NEMT driver app makes it easy for drivers to clock in and out right from their phones. All hours are tracked as soon as a driver clocks in, making payroll a simplified process for all involved.
Invest in NEMT Software Equipped With a Driver App
You need an effective way to manage your trips, and RouteGenie is the solution. Our modern software comes with a built-in driver app, so your drivers can feel confident that when they hit the road, they’ll have resources to choose the best routes possible. Book your free demo today to see our software in action!