# NET Transportation in Ohio: How to Win County JFS Ride Contracts in 2027

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/guides/ohio-county-net-contracts/ · Updated 2026-09-30

NET transportation in Ohio is the Medicaid ride program each county job and family services office runs for trips a health plan does not have to cover. Each county buys rides its own way, from one company to a broker with nine vendors. To win the work, get the county's form ODM 10241, join its bid notice list, and pass the rule 5160-15-14 vendor checks.

- Each Ohio county JFS buys NET rides its own way: one company, several, a broker, the transit agency, or bus passes.
- Form ODM 10241 lists every county's broker, vendors, contract end dates, and projected costs, and you can ask for it as a public record.
- Every private vendor passes the rule 5160-15-14 checks at each contract start and renewal: BMV records, a BCI check, and SAM and LEIE searches.
- Mileage rates ran $5.40 to $14.00 in Summit County's 2025 bid and $6.02 to $10.71 in Franklin County's 2026 contract, and Hamilton, Hancock, and Union pay nothing for no-shows.
- Ohio's SB 315 has ODM require GPS trip verification of all NEMT providers by April 6, 2028, under rules still to come.

Ohio buys many of its Medicaid rides one county at a time. The county department of job and family services (CDJFS) runs the ride program there, and no two counties buy rides the same way. This guide shows how the county contracts are shaped, where to find who holds them, and what a bid asks of you.

## How NET transportation works in Ohio counties

Ohio Medicaid meets its federal duty to get members to care "in large measure" through subgrant agreements with each CDJFS, under rule 5160-15-10. Health plans cover wheelchair van and ambulance rides, car rides of 30 miles or more, and a yearly allowance of short trips, and the [Ohio state guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/ohio/) covers the plans and their brokers.

A county may decline any ride a plan has to provide, so what is left for the county are the rides no plan has to give. Rule 5160-15-10 tells each county to pick the most cost-effective help that suits the rider and gets them there on time. It gives these examples of what a county may offer:

- Contracted livery service, meaning rides from a company under contract.
- Payment for bus or demand-response transit, or prepaid fares.
- Fuel vouchers, prepaid fuel, or mileage paid to the rider.
- Repayment of other travel costs the rider pays out of pocket.
- Rides by county staff in county vehicles.
- Travel for a parent or guardian with a member under 21.
- Other services ODM approves in advance.

Contracted livery service is the line that means work for your company. The rule's own example: a big county with transit and many cabs may offer rides, while a very rural county with no transit may make fuel help its main aid. Every county must still make a good-faith effort to find rides for people who need an actual ride.

Each county also sets a community service area: at least the county itself, plus any places in other Ohio counties or bordering states where people there usually get care. For care only found outside that area, the county may pay only to the nearest place that offers it. Summit County sets its area as Summit and its neighboring counties within 50 miles of the rider's home, which takes in the major hospital systems of Akron, Canton, and Cleveland.

## How each county buys its rides

These are real county setups, each dated by its latest contract or bid as of September 2026:

| County | How it buys rides | Contract details |
|---|---|---|
| Summit (Akron) | A broker plus nine ride companies | Metro Regional Transit Authority books rides as broker for up to $500,000 from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Nine providers share up to $11,000,000 over the same year, the first of two renewals. |
| Franklin (Columbus) | County staff book rides and send them to companies on a shared county contract | 29 companies from March 1, 2026 to January 31, 2028, up to $39,380,000 combined for four county agencies (Resolution 0109-26); riders book 24 hours ahead |
| Hamilton (Cincinnati) | Two companies, no broker | MTM Transit LLC and Valley Transport LLC, approved July 16, 2026 from RFP KB05-25R, which set a first term of June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2028 and two 2-year renewals |
| Cuyahoga (Cleveland) | One company for ambulatory riders | Americab Transportation, up to $8,000,000, March 1, 2025 to February 28, 2027 (Resolution R2025-0147, adopted April 22, 2025) |
| Stark (Canton) | County staff assign rides to five vendors, plus SARTA bus passes | Riders give five business days' notice |
| Butler (Hamilton, Middletown) | One company runs the program | Riders call Valley Transport, LLC directly; the county also gives bus tokens and mileage |
| Lake (Painesville) | The county transit agency | Laketran Dial-a-Ride, under a yearly agreement of up to $638,750 for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, approved May 28, 2026 |
| Montgomery (Dayton) | County staff book rides, and the county buys transit passes | Up to $1,000,000 in Greater Dayton RTA bus and paratransit passes for 2026 (Resolution 26-0041); riders book three days ahead |
| Hancock (Findlay) | A yearly bid | 12 months from January 1, 2026, plus two 12-month renewals |
| Mahoning (Youngstown) | A bid with two rates | The August 2024 bid ran September 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, with a private vendor rate and a wheelchair van rate |
| Union (Marysville) | A yearly bid | Calendar year 2027 (bids were due September 14, 2026), open to public, nonprofit, and for-profit providers, and also covering protective services and job training rides |

What each shape means for a new company:

- **Broker counties.** In Summit, you sign with the county, but the broker hands out the trips. Its 2026 contract also has it check each provider's documents, licenses, driver training, insurance, and vehicles.
- **One-company counties.** In Cuyahoga and Butler, the way in is work under the current company, or the next bid. See [running trips as a subcontractor](https://nemtguide.com/guides/subcontract-nemt-trips/) before you sign anything.
- **Contract counties.** Franklin and Hamilton take each ride request at the county and send an authorized trip to a company on contract. Franklin awarded 43 companies in January 2024 and extended 29 of them to January 31, 2028, with one more optional year.
- **Transit counties.** Where the county's transit agency carries rides, as in Lake, or the county buys up to $1,000,000 a year in bus passes, as in Montgomery, ask how many rides still go to private companies before you plan around that county. A transit authority is not a "private transportation vendor" under rule 5160-15-14, so that rule's vendor checks do not apply to it.
- **Short contracts.** Hancock, Mahoning, and Union bid a year or less at a time, and the windows are short. Mahoning's 2024 RFP opened August 7 and closed August 16, and Union's 2027 RFP came out August 14, 2026 with bids due September 14.

The Ohio Auditor of State's June 2025 audit of Summit's program found no evidence that one model is more efficient than another. Stark has four staff dedicated to NET and assigns rides itself, while Butler hands its whole program to an outside company. For the three biggest counties, see the [Hamilton County](https://nemtguide.com/states/ohio/hamilton-county/), [Cuyahoga County](https://nemtguide.com/states/ohio/cuyahoga-county/), and [Franklin County](https://nemtguide.com/states/ohio/franklin-county/) pages.

## Form ODM 10241: the record that names every county's vendors

Rule 5160-15-10 makes each county file form ODM 10241, the "Medicaid County Transportation Profile", with ODM. The county must update it whenever something changes, and at least every 12 months. Hamilton's December 2025 RFP says it files one every year.

The form (rev. 7/2021) answers the questions you would ask the county yourself:

| Item | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| A | The county staff who run NET, with emails and phone numbers |
| B | The county's community service area |
| C | Whether the county, a broker, or a vendor handles intake, scheduling, and records |
| D | How often the county uses each type of help, from contracted rides to bus passes |
| E | What the county uses for trips outside its area |
| F | The broker and each vendor, what each contract covers, its end date, and its projected cost |
| G | Who handles complaints about vendors |

Summit posts its profile online. The one effective October 1, 2025 names Metro as broker ($500,000, October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026) and nine providers sharing about $7,000,000, with two yearly renewals. One of the nine is a consortium of three companies that bid together.

If your county does not post its profile, ask for it. Ohio's public records law, section 149.43 of the Revised Code, makes a county give you copies at cost within a reasonable time. The county may not require your name or your reason for asking, unless another law allows it. Email the county JFS and ask for "the current form ODM 10241, Medicaid County Transportation Profile, the last two versions filed, and the most recent NET request for proposals with its list of bids received."

## What county NET bids ask for

### The vendor checks every county must run

Rule 5160-15-14 applies to every "private transportation vendor", meaning any company that is not a government agency, transit authority, or public transportation system. A county may contract with you only if you meet the federal ownership disclosure rules in 42 CFR Part 455, Subpart B. Mahoning's 2024 RFP asked for the name, address, and tax ID of the company, each owner or manager, and each related business, plus a Medicaid provider number and NPI if you have them.

Each time a contract starts or renews, and each time you consider hiring a driver or other staff who serve riders, the county must have:

1. A valid driver's license for each driver.
2. A certified driving record for each driver from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
3. A criminal background check under section 109.572 of the Revised Code for each direct-service employee.
4. A search showing that the company, its owners and managers, and its direct-service staff are not on SAM or the [OIG exclusion list](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/oig-exclusion-list/).

A disqualifying offense does not always end a hire. The rule accepts a person who has passed the waiting periods in rule 5160-1-17.8, or who holds a certificate of qualification for employment under section 2953.25. The county sends the results to ODM within 30 days. See [NEMT driver background checks](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-driver-background-check/) for how to run them.

### Insurance

| County bid | General liability | Auto liability | Also required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton (December 2025) | $2,000,000 per occurrence, with abuse and molestation cover | $1,000,000 per accident for 6 or fewer occupants, $5,000,000 above 6 | $2,000,000 umbrella, $1,000,000 employer's liability, an insurer rated A-:VII or better |
| Mahoning (August 2024) | $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 total | $1,000,000 per claim | The county and its commissioners as additional insureds, and workers' compensation |
| Union (August 2026) | Liability limits of $2,000,000 or more | Coverage for your vehicles and their use | The county commissioners as additional insured, and an Ohio workers' compensation certificate before the contract is signed |

Hamilton asks for far more than the smaller counties do, so price your premium before you bid. See [NEMT insurance requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-insurance-requirements/).

### Vehicles and drivers

County rules on vans vary as much as the insurance does:

- **Hamilton** allows no vehicle with a lift, and no vehicle over six years old with more than 100,000 miles. It requires front-mounted cameras that see the driver and riders and keep video at least 48 hours, and no sign that implies a rider is on Medicaid.
- **Mahoning** asked for late-model vehicles, backup vehicles, and continuous two-way contact with every van. Drivers needed yearly criminal, BMV, and drug and alcohol checks, and training in passenger assistance, CPR, defensive driving, first aid, and bloodborne pathogens.
- **Union** asks for a vehicle list that marks which vans carry wheelchair riders. A company open less than a year adds references, a bank letter, and proof of service, and the 2027 bid asks for your experience in Union County or a timeline to start operating there.

### The paperwork in the packet

Ohio county bids carry legal forms that surprise first-time bidders:

- A sworn statement that you owe no delinquent personal property tax in the county (section 5719.042), in both the Hamilton and Mahoning bids.
- In Mahoning, a campaign contribution affidavit (section 3517.13), a debarment affidavit, and the state's form HLS 0038 on the terrorist exclusion list. The county also checks the state's list of findings for recovery under section 9.24.
- In Union, a W-9, a debarment certification, and the county's vendor code of conduct.
- In Hancock, a cover sheet asking whether you have ever repaid funds for a disallowed cost, and whether you can run the program without an advance.

## What county NET pays

Counties pay the unit rate in your contract, usually per mile or per trip, with state and federal Medicaid money passed through to them. The Auditor of State found Summit's 2023 program cost about $4.9 million, split evenly between federal and state funds.

Summit's 2025 bid, RFP JFS 2025036, shows the range. These were the proposed rates for the year starting October 1, 2025, and the county pays a negotiated rate:

| Bidder | Based in | Proposed rate |
|---|---|---|
| Metro Regional Transit Authority | Akron | $5.40 a mile |
| City Yellow Cab Company | Akron | Sedan $6.15 a mile, wheelchair accessible $11.86 a mile |
| Sunset Transportation Partners | Ashtabula | Sedan $7.75 a mile, wheelchair accessible $10.75 a mile |
| Emmanuel Ventures Limited | Cleveland and Akron | $10.00 a mile |
| United Disability Services | Akron | $10.78 a mile |
| A Blessed Path, dba ReliaRide Medical Transportation | Canton | $14.00 a mile in the county, $12.00 outside it |
| Don Brodies Thomas Limousine Services | Akron | $14.00 a mile |
| About U Transport | Akron | $31.00 a trip plus $1.30 a mile |
| The Fitchburg Consortium | Fitchburg and Lowell, Massachusetts, and Cleveland | Sedan $8.00 load rate plus $2.45 a mile, wheelchair accessible $35.00 load rate plus $2.50 a mile |
| River North Transit | New York | Sedan $40.95 a trip for 1 to 10 miles, wheelchair accessible $47.83, more past 10 miles |

The county selected all ten bidders, and nine are on its spending list for the year starting October 1, 2026. Summit's contracts that began in 2023 paid $4.35 to $10 a mile. Demand grew: one-way rides rose from 93,240 in federal fiscal year 2023 to 107,550 in 2024, and in June 2026 the county raised its yearly cap from $7,000,000 to $11,000,000 because spending ran past projections.

Franklin pays each company its own mileage rate. Under the extension that began March 1, 2026, the 29 companies get $6.02 to $8.16 a mile without a lift, $8.67 to $10.71 a mile with one, and $40.80 to $51.00 an hour for an escort.

To see what a ride pays, multiply a rate by a typical ride. Summit's one-way rides averaged about 6.8 miles in 2023 (636,971 miles over 93,240 rides). At that length, $5.40 a mile pays about $37 a ride and $14.00 a mile pays about $96. Then check your costs with the [cost per trip guide](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-cost-per-trip/).

The billing rules cut into that:

- **No-shows are not paid.** Hamilton, Hancock, and Union all say so. Hamilton reported that from February 2024 to September 2025, about one third of scheduled adult trips and 44% of children's group trips ended as a [no-show](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/no-show/) or cancellation.
- **Only loaded miles count in some counties.** Union pays only direct miles with an approved rider on board, and Mahoning pays [loaded miles](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/loaded-miles/).
- **Wait time has limits.** Hancock pays it only on trips outside the county, in 15-minute units.
- **Invoice deadlines are strict.** Hamilton wants each monthly invoice within 30 days after the month ends, and it pays nothing billed more than 60 days after that month. Mahoning wanted invoices by the fifth business day and paid within 45 days.

## How to win a county NET contract, step by step

1. **Find your county office.** The ODJFS county agency directory (updated February 6, 2023) lists each CDJFS address and phone. Ask for the person who runs NET; item A of form ODM 10241 names them.
2. **Ask for the profile and the last bid.** Request form ODM 10241 and the county's last NET RFP with its bid list. The end dates in item F tell you when the next bid is likely.
3. **Get on the notice list.** Hamilton sends bid notices to companies that file its Interested Vendor Notification form, which is not an application. Hancock takes an "expression of interest" by phone, fax, mail, or email. Summit posts open JFS bids on its bidding page and all other county bids on the county's bid portal. Stark and Union list open RFPs on their county human services sites, and Stark takes questions at 330-451-8598.
4. **Watch the calendar.** Summit's council approved the October 1, 2026 renewals on June 29, 2026, the first of two allowed. Cuyahoga's current award ends February 28, 2027. Hamilton's could run six years from June 2026, but the county may reopen the RFP if it needs more capacity. Franklin's extension ends January 31, 2028, and Union has issued its bid each summer for the next calendar year (July 17, 2025 and August 14, 2026).
5. **Build your vendor file before the bid.** Have ownership disclosures, BMV records, background checks, SAM and exclusion searches, an insurance certificate, a workers' compensation certificate, a W-9, and a vehicle list with VINs ready. Mahoning asked for at least two references from contract work.
6. **Price for the county's rules.** Leave out no-shows, count only the miles the county pays, and include every cost in the rate. Your price must hold for a while: 120 days in Mahoning's bid and 180 days in Hamilton's.
7. **Register and file on time.** Hamilton considers a proposal only from a company that registered by its deadline, which was December 11, 2025 for its last bid. Hancock and Mahoning bar talking to county staff about the bid while it is open, except through written questions.
8. **Team up if you are small.** Summit selected a three-company consortium in 2025. Hamilton allows subcontractors for adult rides but not for its children's group runs, and Mahoning wanted a letter of intent and three references from each subcontractor.
9. **Know your protest window.** Hancock takes a protest of its award until 3 p.m. on the tenth business day after its letter of intent.

For transit, state, and federal bids, see [government NEMT contracts](https://nemtguide.com/guides/government-nemt-contracts/).

## What changes in 2027 and 2028

Ohio's Senate Bill 315, signed July 7, 2026, takes effect October 6, 2026. It tells ODM to set up GPS-based verification of NEMT rides that records pickup and drop-off arrival, trip start and finish, timestamps, route, and distance. ODM must set technical standards and a plan within six months (by April 6, 2027), start a pilot within 12 months, and require it of all NEMT providers within 18 months (by April 6, 2028). The law's definition covers rides given under 42 CFR 431.53, the duty county NET carries out, and leaves out ambulance and ambulette services licensed by the State Board of Emergency Medical, Fire, and Transportation Services. ODM's rules will set how it reaches county vendors.

Rules 5160-15-10 and 5160-15-14 both show a five-year review date of July 1, 2026, so check them for new versions before your next bid. County work does not replace your state registrations, such as the PUCO certificate for for-hire passenger carriers. The [Ohio state guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/ohio/) lists them, along with the plan brokers [Provide A Ride](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/provide-a-ride/), [MTM Health](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/mtm-health/), and [SafeRide Health](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/saferide-health/) for the rides counties do not buy.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is NET transportation in Ohio?

NET (non-emergency transportation) is the Medicaid ride program each county department of job and family services runs under rule 5160-15-10. It covers rides to Medicaid services that a health plan is not required to give. The county picks the most cost-effective help that suits the rider, such as a bus pass, mileage, or a ride from a contracted company.

### How do I become a NET provider for my county in Ohio?

Call your county JFS office and ask how it buys NET rides, when its contract ends, and how to hear about the next bid. Ask for its form ODM 10241, which names its current vendors. Then answer the county's request for proposals on time, with your insurance, vehicle list, and driver checks ready.

### Does county NET pay for no-shows in Ohio?

Not in the county bids that address it. Hamilton County's December 2025 RFP says its funding does not allow payment for no-shows or cancellations, Hancock County's 2025 RFP says it cannot pay for no-shows, and Union County's 2027 RFP pays nothing for no-shows and only loaded direct miles. Hamilton said about one third of scheduled adult trips ended as a no-show or cancellation.

### How much does Ohio county NET pay per mile?

Each county pays the unit rate in its contract. In Summit County's 2025 bid for the year starting October 1, 2025, rates priced only by the mile ran from $5.40 to $14.00, and other bidders added a per-trip or load rate. Franklin County's contract extended March 1, 2026 pays $6.02 to $8.16 a mile without a lift and $8.67 to $10.71 with one.

### Do I need an Ohio Medicaid provider number for a county NET contract?

Not always. Rule 5160-15-14 screens private vendors through the county, and Mahoning County's 2024 RFP asked for a Medicaid provider number and NPI only if you had them. Wheelchair van trips you bill to Ohio Medicaid directly are different: those need ODM enrollment, which the Ohio state guide covers.

### Do county NET contracts in Ohio include wheelchair trips?

Some do. Hamilton County bars any vehicle with a lift, and Stark County riders must transfer from a wheelchair on their own. Mahoning County's 2024 RFP asked for a separate wheelchair van rate, Franklin County's shared county ride contract sets a lift rate for each company, and several of Summit County's 2025 bidders quoted wheelchair accessible rates. Health plans cover wheelchair van rides for their own members.

## Official resources

- [Ohio Department of Job and Family Services: County agency directory (PDF)](https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/jfs.ohio.gov/County/County_Directory.pdf)
- [Ohio Department of Medicaid: Form ODM 10241, Medicaid County Transportation Profile](https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/medicaid.ohio.gov/Resources/Publications/Forms/ODM10241Fillx.pdf)
- [Ohio Administrative Code: Rule 5160-15-10, County NET programs](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-5160-15-10)
- [Ohio Administrative Code: Rule 5160-15-14, Private transportation vendor checks](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-5160-15-14)
- [Ohio Revised Code: Section 149.43, Public records requests](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-149.43)
- [Summit County JFS: A filed transportation profile (example)](https://www.summitcountyjfsohio.gov/files-generic/23252/file/medicaid-county-transportation-profile-fy26.pdf)
- [Summit County JFS: Bidding opportunities](https://www.summitcountyjfsohio.gov/pages/Bidding-Opportunities.html)
- [Hamilton County JFS: Interested vendor notification request](https://www.hcjfs.org/how_do_i/business/interested_vendor_notification_request.php)
- [Union County Human Services: Current RFPs](https://www.unioncountyohio.gov/departments/HumanServices/uchsrfplist)
- [Ohio Auditor of State: Performance audit of Summit County's Medicaid NET program (June 2025)](https://ohioauditor.gov/AuditSearch/Reports/2025/Summit_County_Department_of_Job_and_Family_Services_25_Performance_Summit_FINAL.pdf)