# Columbia County, FL Transportation for NEMT Companies: The County License and Suwannee Valley Transit

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/states/florida/columbia-county/ · Updated 2026-09-30

In Columbia County, Florida, public rides for older adults and people with disabilities come from Suwannee Valley Transit Authority, which drives them itself. A company that mainly carries wheelchair or stretcher riders needs a county nonemergency medical transportation license, good for three years, with every vehicle inspected each year. Medicaid trips come through the health plans' brokers and MTM Health.

- Columbia County licenses any business that mainly carries wheelchair or stretcher riders, and each van needs its own permit after a county inspection.
- The license lasts three years, but the county's agent inspects every vehicle every year.
- Wheelchair vans need a lift, two locking points per chair, and 50 inches of headroom; stretcher vans need 41 inches.
- Suwannee Valley Transit Authority drives its own trips with no subcontracted providers, so Medicaid brokers are the main source of outside work.

## Columbia County NEMT at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| County rule | Code of Ordinances Chapter 122, Article II (Ordinance 91-3, April 18, 1991): a county license for nonemergency medical transportation services |
| Who needs it | Any business that mainly carries people in wheelchairs or on stretchers who do not need medical attention on the way |
| License term | Three years, with every vehicle inspected each year by the county's agent |
| Board decision | Within 30 days of filing, for an applicant that meets the requirements |
| Headroom | 50 inches floor to ceiling in wheelchair vehicles, 41 inches in stretcher vehicles |
| Trip records | Kept at least three years and open to the county commission and the state Department of Health |
| Paratransit coordinator | Suwannee Valley Transit Authority for Columbia, Hamilton, and Suwannee counties, designated for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2031 |
| County trips | 14,227 in fiscal year 2024-25, 4,566 of them medical, at $74.73 a trip |
| Medicaid | Region B. 12,087 members in comprehensive plans on August 31, 2026. Members outside a plan ride with MTM Health. |

## Who arranges rides here

- [Columbia County Board of County Commissioners](https://www.columbiacountyfla.com/BCCAdministration.aspx): Issues nonemergency medical transportation licenses and vehicle permits. (386) 758-1005
- [Columbia County Clerk of Court and Comptroller](https://columbiaclerk.com/): Clerk to the board, which supplies the license forms and takes renewals. (386) 758-1342
- [Suwannee Valley Transit Authority](https://www.ridesvta.com/): Coordinates and drives Transportation Disadvantaged rides in Columbia, Hamilton, and Suwannee. (386) 362-5332
- [MTM Health, Florida Medicaid rides](https://www.mtm-inc.net/floridaffs/): Books rides for Columbia County Medicaid members outside a health plan. (844) 239-5974
- [North Central Florida Regional Planning Council](https://ncfrpc.org/TD/td.html): Staffs the Columbia, Hamilton, and Suwannee Transportation Disadvantaged coordinating board. (352) 955-2200

Columbia County, with Lake City as its county seat, writes its own rules for wheelchair and stretcher companies. Chapter 122, Article II of the county code, adopted as Ordinance 91-3 on April 18, 1991, requires a license from the Board of County Commissioners for any business that mainly carries people who ride in wheelchairs or on stretchers and do not need medical attention on the way. Public rides for older adults and people with disabilities come from Suwannee Valley Transit Authority, which serves Columbia, Hamilton, and Suwannee counties. The statewide steps, from Medicaid enrollment to fingerprint screening for owners, are in the [Florida guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/florida/).

## The county license for wheelchair and stretcher services

The license covers a business or service that "primarily" carries wheelchair or stretcher riders in the county, and the code says it includes wheelchair and stretcher car services. It does not cover services licensed, or required to be licensed, as basic or advanced life support under chapter 401 of the Florida Statutes, and it excludes rides for ambulatory psychiatric patients. A license holder may not do anything that needs a life support license, and doing so is grounds for immediate revocation.

### How to get licensed

1. **Apply to the board** on the license form supplied by the clerk of the board, and pay the fee the board has set.
2. **Apply for a permit for each vehicle.** The county's designated agent inspects the vehicle and its equipment, and the permit is issued when you pay its fee.
3. **Prove your insurance** for injury, death, and property damage claims, at the minimums the board sets by resolution. The county issues no license until the proof is in.
4. **Show your staffing.** Each vehicle needs enough people to load and unload riders safely.
5. **Get the board's decision.** It must issue or deny the license within 30 days of filing for an applicant that meets the requirements.

The license expires three years after it is issued, but the county's agent inspects every vehicle every year and may inspect any vehicle at any other time. You get a copy of each inspection report, and a vehicle that fails cannot run as a nonemergency vehicle until it passes.

To renew the license, file with the clerk of the circuit court at least 30 days before it expires, with the renewal fee, proof that you still meet the standards, and proof that your vehicles passed inspection. Vehicle permits renew the same way, with the board, at least 30 days before they expire.

### Vehicle standards

Section 122-35 sets the design rules, on top of the state traffic code:

| Item | Wheelchair vehicles | Stretcher vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| Boarding and mounting | An electric, hydraulic, or mechanical lift | A crash-stable, quick-release litter fastener, side or center mounted |
| Securement | Two positive latching or locking devices per wheelchair, and a belt or strap for each rider | At least two restraining straps per stretcher, cot, or litter |
| Headroom | 50 inches, finished floor to finished ceiling | 41 inches, finished floor to finished ceiling |
| Mirror | An inside mirror that shows the whole passenger area | Same |
| Doors | Latches that keep chairs inside, used with striker plates | Same |
| Floor | Smooth, with few gaps where water can collect, and a covering that stays clean and odor free | Same |
| Fire extinguisher | At least a 5-pound ABC unit in the driver's compartment | Same |
| Radio | Two-way contact with your base from anywhere in the county | Same |

Section 122-34 adds that every vehicle has a smooth, easy-to-clean interior and working electrical systems. It must be free of hazards such as slippery floors, sharp edges, and unpadded door headers, with no dents or rust that affect safe driving, and with all equipment secured. Stretcher riders get clean blankets, linens, or disposable sheets each trip. Measure the finished floor to ceiling height of any van before you buy it, and see [wheelchair securement](https://nemtguide.com/guides/wheelchair-securement/) for the tie-down side.

### Drivers, records, and advertising

Under section 122-37, you document that each driver:

- Is at least 18.
- Certifies under oath that they are not addicted to alcohol or any controlled substance, and are free of any physical or mental condition that could impair their driving.
- Has no conviction in the past three years for reckless driving or driving under the influence, and no license suspension under the state point system.
- Holds a valid Florida driver's license.
- Is trained on your wheelchair and stretcher equipment, and has taken the National Safety Council Defensive Driving Course or an equivalent.

Keep a personnel file for each employee with hire date and qualifications, and a file for each vehicle with its registration, inspection records, permit, and current insurance. Every trip report records the time, the place of origin, the rider's name, and the destination. Keep trip reports at least three years, indexed and open to the county commission and the state Department of Health during business hours.

Your advertising must say plainly that you do not provide medical attention, and you may never call a vehicle or the service an "ambulance." Violating the article is a second-degree misdemeanor.

## Suwannee Valley Transit Authority

Suwannee Valley Transit Authority is a public transit authority run by a board of two county commissioners from each of its three counties, plus one Florida Department of Transportation representative. It has been the area's [Community Transportation Coordinator](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/community-transportation-coordinator/) since 1990, and the three counties have been one combined service area since July 1, 2016. North Central Florida Regional Planning Council Resolution 2026-13, passed February 18, 2026, recommended keeping it. The Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged designated it again on June 11, 2026 for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2031.

It is a sole-source system: the authority drives the trips, and its service plan says it has no subcontracted providers. Columbia County's numbers for fiscal year 2024-25:

| Measure | FY 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| Total trips | 14,227 |
| Education, training, and day care trips | 8,401 |
| Medical trips | 4,566 |
| Trips paid by the Agency for Persons with Disabilities | 7,823 |
| Trips paid by the state Transportation Disadvantaged fund | 5,969 |
| Trips by the one coordination contractor | 58 |
| Vehicles | 13 |
| Drivers | 9 |
| Cost per trip | $74.73 |

The service plan's rate model for fiscal year 2023-24 set $2.19 per ambulatory passenger mile and $3.76 per wheelchair passenger mile, with an average trip of 15.8 miles. The plan also records an agreement with Alachua County that lets the authority carry Columbia, Hamilton, and Suwannee residents to medical facilities there, and a route that runs between Live Oak, Lake City, and Gainesville. If you ever subcontract, the plan commits the authority to pay within seven working days after it is paid, or add a penalty of half a percent of the amount due for each day late. The authority's own drivers must hold current CPR and first aid certificates, with training under a contract with the Suwannee County Fire Department.

The other two counties in the service area look different. In 2024-25, Suwannee County logged 26,671 trips at $25.08 each, and a coordination contractor carried 18,072 of them. Hamilton County logged 3,897 trips at $72.16 each, with no contractors. A coordination contractor is an agency that receives Transportation Disadvantaged money and drives its own clients under a written contract with the authority.

## Medicaid rides in Columbia County

Under the state's NEMT waiver for July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027, MTM Health arranges rides for Columbia's Region B members who are not in a health plan. Suwannee Valley Transit tells Medicaid riders to call their plan. Comprehensive plans held 12,087 Columbia members on August 31, 2026:

| Health plan | Columbia members | Broker for its rides |
|---|---|---|
| [Sunshine Health](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/sunshine-health-florida/) | 6,465 | Alivi |
| [UnitedHealthcare Community Plan](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/unitedhealthcare-community-plan-florida/) | 2,987 | MTM Health, since March 1, 2026 |
| [Humana](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/humana-healthy-horizons-florida/) | 2,178 | Modivcare |
| [Simply Healthcare](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/simply-healthcare-florida/) | 245 | Ride2MD |
| [Florida Community Care](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/florida-community-care/) | 199 | Ride2MD |

The waiver's county fleet counts for 2025 put 10 vehicles in MTM's Columbia network (7 cab and 3 lift). Modivcare, whose fee-for-service regions do not include Columbia, listed 30 at Columbia providers (11 ambulatory, 9 wheelchair, and 10 stretcher) for members who travel into the county for care. That is more stretcher vehicles than either broker listed for Duval County. The state classes Columbia as a rural service area, so see [rural NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/rural-nemt/) for pricing long runs and empty miles.

## What to do first

1. **Call the county commission office** at 386-758-1005 and the clerk at 386-758-1342 for the license and vehicle permit forms, the current fees, and the board's insurance resolution.
2. **Build or buy vans to Chapter 122**, checking headroom, the lift, two locking points per chair, the mirror, and countywide radio coverage.
3. **Collect each driver's sworn statements**, license check, equipment training, and defensive driving certificate before the first trip.
4. **Enroll with Florida Medicaid** and apply to Alivi, MTM Health, Modivcare, and Ride2MD.

If you carry riders to Gainesville, read the [Alachua County](https://nemtguide.com/states/florida/alachua-county/) page too. That county's certificate rule covers nonemergency transport anywhere inside it, and its exemption for trips from outside the county is written only for ambulances.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need a license for wheelchair transportation in Columbia County, Florida?

Yes, if your business mainly carries people who ride in wheelchairs or on stretchers and do not need medical attention on the way. Chapter 122, Article II of the county code requires a nonemergency medical transportation license from the Board of County Commissioners and a permit for each vehicle after the county's agent inspects it. Services licensed as ambulances under state law are not covered, and neither are rides for ambulatory psychiatric patients.

### How long does a Columbia County NEMT license last?

Three years from the date it is issued. Each vehicle is still inspected every year, and a vehicle that fails cannot carry riders until it passes. File the license renewal with the clerk of the circuit court, and each vehicle permit renewal with the board, at least 30 days before expiration, with the renewal fee and proof that your vehicles passed inspection.

### How do I schedule a ride with Suwannee Valley Transit Authority?

Riders call 386-362-5332 or 386-362-7433, or 1-800-258-7267 from a landline outside Suwannee County, at least three business days ahead, not counting weekends and holidays. Service runs Monday through Friday. Suwannee Valley Transit tells Medicaid members to call their health plan for rides instead.

### Can my company get trips from Suwannee Valley Transit Authority?

Rarely. Suwannee Valley Transit drives its trips itself, and its service plan says it has no subcontracted providers. In fiscal year 2024-25, one coordination contractor, an agency that runs its own transportation under an agreement with the coordinator, carried 58 of Columbia County's 14,227 trips. Medicaid brokers, facilities, and private pay riders are the larger openings.

### Who handles Medicaid rides in Lake City?

Health plan members book through their plan's broker: Alivi for Sunshine Health, MTM Health for UnitedHealthcare since March 1, 2026, Modivcare for Humana, and Ride2MD for Simply and Florida Community Care. Members outside a plan call MTM Health at 1-844-239-5974. A company enrolls with Florida Medicaid and then joins each broker separately.

## Official resources

- [Columbia County Code Chapter 122, Article II, Nonemergency Medical Transportation](https://library.municode.com/fl/columbia_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH122VEHI_ARTIINOMETR)
- [Columbia County Board of County Commissioners](https://www.columbiacountyfla.com/BCCAdministration.aspx)
- [Suwannee Valley Transit Authority: Services](https://www.ridesvta.com/services/)
- [Columbia, Hamilton and Suwannee Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan](https://ncfrpc.info/serviceplan/chs202126TDSPAU.pdf)