# Southeast Arkansas Transportation (SEAT): How Providers Work With the Region F Medicaid Broker in 2027

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/brokers/area-agency-on-aging-southeast-arkansas/ · Updated 2026-09-30

Southeast Arkansas Transportation (SEAT) is the rural transit program of the Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas, a Pine Bluff nonprofit. As of September 2026, it is also the Medicaid ride broker for the 14 counties of Arkansas NET Region F, and it drives its own vehicles in 10 of them. Members book at 844-683-2300. Companies ask the agency, 870-543-6300, about a subcontract.

- SEAT brokers every NET ride for Medicaid members living in the 14 Region F counties and drives its own vehicles in 10 of them.
- Its 2025 bid named one subcontractor, Mid-Delta Community Services of Helena, so call before you buy vans or insurance for Region F work.
- SEAT won Region F at $16.59 per member per month, the highest rate range of Arkansas's seven NET regions.
- Your trip rate is whatever SEAT negotiates with you. It must be written into your agreement and paid within 30 calendar days of your invoice.
- The DHS contract requires $1,000,000 of liability per vehicle, an interior camera, and a broker inspection at least every 30 days.

Southeast Arkansas Transportation, known as SEAT, is the transit program of the Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas, Inc., a nonprofit in Pine Bluff. SEAT does two jobs. It is the rural public transit service for the agency's home counties, and it is the Medicaid broker for Region F of Arkansas's Non-Emergency Transportation (NET) program.

The broker role is the one a NEMT company deals with. Every NET ride for a Medicaid member who lives in Region F goes through SEAT, and SEAT decides whether its own vans drive it or a subcontractor does. The [Arkansas state guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/arkansas/) explains NET statewide. This page covers what is true for SEAT and Region F.

## Where SEAT runs Medicaid rides

Region F on the DHS broker map revised in December 2025 covers 14 counties in southeast and east central Arkansas. Its member ride line is 844-683-2300. In its 2025 bid, the agency said it brokers all 14 counties and also drives its own vehicles in 10 of them.

SEAT's full schedule public transit runs in the 10 counties the agency serves as an area agency on aging: Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson, and Lincoln. The other four Region F counties fall in other aging agencies' areas. Lee and Phillips belong to the East Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, and Monroe and Prairie to CareLink. SEAT offers only limited public transit in those four.

DHS's databook for state fiscal year 2024, July 2023 through June 2024, shows where Region F's Medicaid rides happen. It counts a trip each time a vehicle goes out and leaves out day treatment rides. Miles per trip is each county's [loaded miles](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/loaded-miles/) divided by its trips. The last column shows whether SEAT's public transit runs a full schedule there or limited service.

| County | Trips | Loaded miles | Miles per trip | SEAT public transit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | 15,805 | 249,383 | 16 | Full |
| Ashley | 7,369 | 270,354 | 37 | Full |
| Arkansas | 5,065 | 116,531 | 23 | Full |
| Chicot | 5,064 | 227,778 | 45 | Full |
| Desha | 4,009 | 184,277 | 46 | Full |
| Phillips | 3,711 | 178,374 | 48 | Limited |
| Drew | 3,470 | 99,613 | 29 | Full |
| Bradley | 3,364 | 62,860 | 19 | Full |
| Lee | 2,157 | 96,343 | 45 | Limited |
| Lincoln | 2,076 | 71,116 | 34 | Full |
| Monroe | 1,886 | 72,917 | 39 | Limited |
| Grant | 887 | 26,970 | 30 | Full |
| Cleveland | 704 | 29,714 | 42 | Full |
| Prairie | 409 | 15,611 | 38 | Limited |
| **Region F** | **55,976** | **1,701,841** | **30** | |

Jefferson County, home to Pine Bluff, had 28 percent of the region's trips at the shortest average distance. Chicot, Desha, Lee, and Phillips counties averaged about 45 to 48 miles per trip. In June 2024, 68,350 people in Region F were eligible for NET, and 19,917 of them lived in Jefferson County. For the math of long rural runs, see [rural NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/rural-nemt/).

### SEAT's public transit service

Outside Medicaid, SEAT runs door-to-door public transit for riders of all ages. Rides go to medical visits, work, shopping, bill paying, and community places such as churches and libraries. Riders book at least 48 hours ahead, first call first served, and wheelchair lift vans come on request. SEAT refers riders who live inside Pine Bluff city limits to Pine Bluff Transit.

Fares depend on distance. SEAT's fare schedule, posted in January 2024, lists round trips such as these:

| Round trip from | To Pine Bluff | To Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Stuttgart | $12 | $20 |
| Monticello | $20 | $30 |
| Dumas | $18 | $28 |
| Crossett | $28 | $40 |
| Lake Village | $28 | $36 |

The fare sheet says fares cover only part of SEAT's operating costs. In its 2025 bid, the agency said it has held an ArDOT Section 5311 rural transit grant since 1993. If you plan private pay rides here, your riders can compare your price with these fares.

SEAT's public service also offers limited rides in Calhoun, Dallas, Lonoke, and Union counties. Those counties are outside Region F. Medicaid members who live there book NET rides with the Region E broker, [Central Arkansas Development Council](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/central-arkansas-development-council/), or the Region G broker, [Modivcare](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/modivcare/).

## SEAT's Medicaid contract with Arkansas DHS

Arkansas runs NET under a federal 1915(b) waiver approved from April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2028. The waiver treats each regional broker as a prepaid ambulatory health plan and lists the Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas for Region F. DHS cut the program from 11 regions to 7 in 2018. In its 2025 bid, the agency says it has been DHS's NET broker since before 2018. DHS's anticipated award for its 2018 bid, 710-18-1025, posted October 25, 2018, also named the agency among the winners.

DHS pays the broker a [capitation](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/capitation/) rate: a set amount for each NET-eligible member each month, whether or not that member rides. The broker pays for every ride out of that money.

| Item | Region F under bid 710-25-049 |
|---|---|
| Bid posted | June 5, 2025 |
| Bids opened | July 7, 2025 |
| Bids for Region F | Four at $16.59 per member per month (the agency, MediTrans, Modivcare, and Verida) and one at $17.23 |
| How the tie was broken | Arkansas procurement rules award a tie to the Arkansas company, so no coin flip was held |
| Anticipated award posted | July 21, 2025 |
| Rides under the new contract began | January 1, 2026 |
| Term | One year, renewable up to six more one-year terms, seven years in all |
| Rate range DHS allowed | $16.59 to $17.23 per member per month |

DHS's actuary built that range in a draft letter dated May 9, 2025. Region F's calendar 2025 rate, before day treatment rides were added, was $12.28 per member per month. The 2026 range adds $4.52 for day treatment rides and is the highest of the seven regions. Region E's range, the next highest, was $11.67 to $12.08.

The contract also sets a spending floor. If a broker's actual service costs per member fall below 95 percent of the actuary's target, the broker pays the shortfall back to DHS. That keeps the ride budget in the rate spent on rides, whether SEAT's own vans or a subcontractor drive them.

### Day treatment rides

The agency also brokered rides to Early Intervention Day Treatment (EIDT) and Adult Developmental Day Treatment (ADDT) centers in Region F under a separate DHS contract. Its 2025 bid put that program at about 190 riders a day. Since January 1, 2026, those rides are part of the NET contract. Centers that drive their own clients can still bill Medicaid directly as provider type 24 under [A0120](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/a0120/), DHS said in its 2025 bid answers. See [adult day care transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/adult-day-care-transportation/) for how these runs work.

## How to get Region F trips from SEAT

SEAT runs its own fleet, and its 2025 bid named one subcontractor: Mid-Delta Community Services of Helena, in Phillips County. DHS's 2025 bid answers say subcontracting is between the broker and the subcontractor, and DHS does not arrange it. The same answers say naming subcontractors in the bid does not stop a broker from adding more later.

So an opening depends on what SEAT needs, such as a county it cannot cover well or a ride type its vans are short on. Ask before you spend money. If SEAT has work, these are the steps the DHS contract sets for any subcontractor:

1. **Call the agency's main office, 870-543-6300.** Ask for the SEAT program, which counties and ride types it needs, and a copy of its service agreement. DHS must approve a broker's model agreement before it is used.
2. **Get ArDOT intrastate authority.** The broker must assure DHS that every vehicle carrying members meets ArDOT's Arkansas intrastate requirements, and it must collect proof of each subcontractor's vehicle registration with ArDOT. See [NEMT license requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-license-requirements/) and the state guide for the application and hearing.
3. **Buy the insurance.** Carry $1,000,000 of liability coverage on each vehicle from an insurer licensed in Arkansas, including contractual liability coverage that protects the State. DHS is named as an [additional insured](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/additional-insured/).
4. **Equip each vehicle.** Install the camera, safety kit, and child safety alarm the contract requires. The table below lists the main items.
5. **Screen and train drivers.** Meet the driver rules below, and keep each person's training, background, and driving records on file.
6. **Pass SEAT's inspection.** SEAT must inspect every vehicle before it signs with you and certify that each one meets the contract.
7. **Sign the agreement.** It must state your negotiated rate and the duties you take on. SEAT sends it to the state's NET monitoring contractor and reports any later change within 5 business days.

SEAT may not sign with a company that was convicted of Medicaid or Medicare fraud, terminated from either program, or excluded from any Arkansas DHS program. Check yourself and your staff against the [OIG exclusion list](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/oig-exclusion-list/) first. Our [broker credentialing guide](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-broker-credentialing/) and [how to subcontract NEMT trips](https://nemtguide.com/guides/subcontract-nemt-trips/) cover the paperwork in more depth.

### What the DHS contract requires of every Region F vehicle and driver

| Requirement | What solicitation 710-25-049 says |
|---|---|
| Camera | 720p HD with GPS and an interior view of all passenger activity, 45 days of stored video, recording whenever the vehicle runs. A vehicle whose camera is not fully working carries no Medicaid riders until it is fixed. |
| Child safety alarm | Required on any vehicle designed for more than 7 passengers plus a driver |
| Inspections | By SEAT before signing and then at least every 30 days, by a certified mechanic yearly at the broker's cost, and by the state's NET monitoring contractor at least yearly plus random visits |
| Daily checks | A driver walk-around before and after each day, with odometer readings and checks of the camera, alarm, belts, brakes, and signals |
| Driver age and license | At least 21, licensed for the vehicle class in the state where the driver lives |
| Driving record | Clean at hire. Two moving violations or at-fault accidents in 12 months, in any vehicle, remove a driver from service. |
| Training | Child passenger safety, defensive driving, lift operation, wheelchair securement, and First Aid and CPR. CPR and First Aid need hands-on training, and online-only certificates are not accepted. |
| Wheelchair vans | Meet the ADA's lift-equipped vehicle rules |

The [Arkansas state guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/arkansas/) lists the rest, including background checks and step heights. Our [vehicle inspection checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-vehicle-inspection-checklist/) and [NEMT dash cameras](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-dash-cameras/) help you get ready for SEAT's first inspection.

### Driving for SEAT instead

If you want Region F experience before you buy a van, SEAT hires its own drivers. As of September 2026, its careers page lists an ongoing opening for SEAT drivers in Arkansas, Grant, and Lincoln counties. The posted job asks for an age of at least 25, a current Arkansas license, a good driving record, and passing random drug and alcohol tests. SEAT trains its drivers in passenger assistance and daily pre-trip inspections.

## How Region F trips run and how you get paid

DHS sets the same booking rules for every broker. Since January 1, 2026, members call at least 72 hours ahead, not counting weekends and holidays, and brokers take reservations Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Brokers must also run Saturday rides from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for dialysis, chemotherapy, and radiation. A driver has to wait only 15 minutes before leaving without the rider, and a ride outside the region needs a doctor's referral.

SEAT's office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It closes on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Some members cannot use NET at all: nursing home residents, people in an ICF/IID, Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries, and ARKids First-B children. Adults in ARHOME get 8 one-way legs a calendar year and can ask for more when medically necessary. The broker tells them when to apply.

### Pay

- **Your rate.** SEAT negotiates it with you, and the contract says it must be fully disclosed in your agreement. The rate you agree to does not change what DHS pays SEAT.
- **Payment time.** SEAT must pay authorized trips in full within 30 calendar days of receiving your invoice.
- **Disputes.** DHS will not intervene if a broker pays late or disagrees with a subcontractor. Get every term in writing.
- **No rider charges.** Brokers may not collect copays or set mileage caps on Medicaid rides.
- **Trip records.** DHS pays a broker for a month only when that month's trips are in the DHS system by the end of the next month. Ask SEAT when your trip logs and invoice are due. Our [trip log template](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-trip-log-template/) has the columns the contract asks for.

If you fall short on a requirement, SEAT must notify you within 24 business hours and set a [corrective action plan](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/corrective-action-plan/) within 3 business days. You then have up to 30 days to fix it, with more time allowed if you are making real progress. If it is not fixed, SEAT must end your agreement and tell DHS.

## Other ride work in southeast Arkansas

Every Region F NET trip runs through SEAT. These are the other buyers of rides in the same counties:

- **Nursing homes and ICF/IID homes.** Their residents cannot use NET, so SEAT does not book their Medicaid rides. See [how to get NEMT facility contracts](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-get-nemt-facility-contracts/).
- **Day treatment centers.** DHS lets EIDT and ADDT centers drive their own clients and bill Medicaid under A0120 instead of using the broker.
- **Older adults' rides.** The Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas, which runs SEAT, serves 10 of the Region F counties. Lee and Phillips counties fall under the East Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, and Monroe and Prairie under CareLink. See [area agency on aging transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/area-agency-on-aging-transportation/) for how those contracts are bought.
- **Private pay riders.** SEAT's public rides need 48 hours of notice and are booked first call, first served. See [private pay NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/private-pay-nemt/) for pricing and payment.

## Who to call

| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| Subcontracting and the agency's main office | 870-543-6300, 709 East 8th Avenue, Pine Bluff, AR 71601 |
| ArDOT intrastate operating authority | 501-569-2160 |
| Mailing address in the 2025 bid | PO Box 8569, Pine Bluff, AR 71611 |
| Region F Medicaid ride line | 844-683-2300 |
| SEAT scheduling for public transit | 870-543-6340, toll free 866-501-7328, TTY 870-543-6339 |
| SEAT driver job applications | SEAT transportation department, 600 South Missouri, Pine Bluff, AR 71601 |
| NET Help Line (questions and complaints) | 888-987-1200, option 1, or TDD/TTY 800-285-1131 |
| Arkansas DHS Division of Medical Services | 501-682-8292 |

Before you call, have your ArDOT authority status, vehicle list, insurance quote, and driver roster ready. For the other Arkansas regions, see [Verida](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/verida/) for Regions A to D, [Central Arkansas Development Council](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/central-arkansas-development-council/) for Region E, and [Modivcare](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/modivcare/) for Region G.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which counties does SEAT cover for Medicaid rides?

As of September 2026, SEAT is the Region F broker on the DHS map revised in December 2025: Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson, Lee, Lincoln, Monroe, Phillips, and Prairie counties. Its public transit also offers limited service in Calhoun, Dallas, Lonoke, and Union counties, but Medicaid members who live there ride with their own region's broker.

### Is SEAT the same as the Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas?

Yes. SEAT is the rural transit project of the Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas, Inc., a nonprofit corporation that filed its articles with the Arkansas Secretary of State on June 15, 1979. DHS lists the Region F award under the agency's name, doing business as Southeast Arkansas Transportation (SEAT). The main office is at 709 East 8th Avenue in Pine Bluff.

### Does SEAT use subcontractors?

It can. The DHS contract lets a broker be the only provider or build a network of subcontractors. In its 2025 bid, the agency said it drives its own vehicles in 10 of the 14 counties, and it named one subcontractor, Mid-Delta Community Services of Helena. DHS says subcontracting is arranged between the broker and the company, and a broker may add subcontractors later.

### How much does SEAT pay transportation providers?

Arkansas sets no trip rate for NET providers. SEAT negotiates a rate with each subcontractor, and the DHS contract requires that rate to be fully disclosed in the written agreement. SEAT must pay authorized trips in full within 30 calendar days of receiving your invoice. DHS does not step in on late payment or other disputes between a broker and a subcontractor.

### How do Medicaid members book a Region F ride?

Since January 1, 2026, they call the Region F line, 844-683-2300, at least 72 hours before the appointment, not counting weekends and holidays. Brokers take reservations Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and must pick up as needed for dialysis, chemotherapy, and radiation. A ride outside the region needs a referral from the member's doctor. Questions and complaints go to the NET Help Line, 888-987-1200, option 1.

### Is SEAT hiring drivers?

As of September 2026, the agency's careers page lists an ongoing opening for SEAT drivers in Arkansas, Grant, and Lincoln counties, applied for by sending a resume. Its posted SEAT driver job asks for an age of at least 25, a current Arkansas license, a good driving record, and passing random drug and alcohol tests. That is stricter than the DHS contract's minimum age of 21.

### When does SEAT's Region F contract come up for bid again?

DHS awarded Region F under bid 710-25-049, and rides under the new contracts began January 1, 2026. Each contract runs one year and can be renewed year to year up to six more times, seven years in all. As of September 2026, DHS had posted a new bid only for Region G, and its NET page lists no broker change for other counties.

## Official resources

- [SEAT: Non Emergency Transportation (Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas)](https://www.aaasea.org/services/transportation/)
- [Arkansas DHS: NET program and broker contacts](https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/divisions-shared-services/medical-services/healthcare-programs/net-non-emergency-transportation/)
- [Arkansas DHS and AFMC: NET broker map by county](https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Non-emergency-transportation-NET-map-flyer-English-Spanish_0126.pdf)
- [Arkansas DHS: NET broker contract, solicitation 710-25-049 Revision 2](https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/710-25-049-Solicitation-Revision-2-Clean-Version.pdf)
- [ArDOT: Arkansas intrastate operating authority](https://ardot.gov/divisions/legal/arkansas-intrastate-authority/)
- [AFMC: What providers should know about the NET program](https://medicaid.afmc.org/programs/non-emergency-transportation)
- [HHS OIG: List of Excluded Individuals and Entities](https://oig.hhs.gov/exclusions/)