# Blair County MATP: How Blair Senior Services Runs Medicaid Rides and Where Ride Companies Fit

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

Blair County MATP is run by Blair Senior Services, the county's Area Agency on Aging, which has operated the program since 1984 and works under a one-year contract with the county commissioners. Riders call 814-695-3500 or 1-800-458-5552 on weekdays. Its shared-ride vans carried 28,459 MATP trips in fiscal 2024-25, and its guidelines also name taxis and private van services.

- One nonprofit, Blair Senior Services, registers Blair County MATP riders, books their trips, and drives in-county van rides in its own lift vans.
- The county signs a new MATP contract with the agency each year: September 2025 for 2025-26, and July and August 2026 agendas for 2026-27.
- MATP spent $1,541,501 on paratransit rides in fiscal 2023-24, while the agency's own van department booked $616,153 of MATP revenue.
- The openings are the trips its own rules leave: out-of-county runs, Saturdays beyond dialysis, evenings after 6 p.m., and chairs over the lift limit.
- Stretcher trips are not MATP here; they go to the rider's HealthChoices plan, and UPMC for You sends medically necessary wheelchair van trips through its own line.

## Blair County NEMT at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Who runs MATP | Blair Senior Services, Inc., a private nonprofit and the county's Area Agency on Aging, since 1984. A county vendor county in the state's June 25, 2026 study. |
| County contract | July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, approved September 25, 2025 (Resolution 457-2025). The 2026-27 agreement was on the commissioners' July 30 and August 6, 2026 agendas. |
| State allocation | $1,973,865 final for fiscal 2024-25. The commissioners' October 1, 2026 agenda lists $2,174,635 for fiscal 2026-27. |
| Ride line | 814-695-3500 or 1-800-458-5552. Calls weekdays 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; rides weekdays 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays for dialysis only (DHS list, June 18, 2026) |
| Booking | By 2 p.m. one business day before, up to two weeks ahead, with no same-day trips (April 2024 service guide) |
| Trip volume | 28,459 MATP trips among 81,147 Blair Senior Services shared-ride trips in fiscal 2024-25, with 24 vehicles in peak service |
| Cost per trip | $31.91 average cost and $20.43 average fare per shared-ride trip in fiscal 2024-25, across all programs |
| Lift limit | Every van has a lift rated for 850 pounds of rider and mobility device combined, and devices up to 30 by 48 inches (April 2024 service guide) |
| Out-of-county trips | Need written notice of the appointment and a Blair County physician's referral; the agency can arrange bus, train, or private van service |
| Health plans | HealthChoices Southwest zone: AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania, Geisinger, Jefferson Health Plans EverWell, Highmark Wholecare, UPMC for You |

## Who arranges rides here

- [Blair Senior Services Transportation Office, Loop Road, Hollidaysburg](https://www.blairsenior.org/transportation/): Registers MATP riders and books vans, bus tickets, and mileage; weekdays 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (814) 695-3500
- [Blair Senior Services main office, 1320 12th Avenue, Altoona](https://www.blairsenior.org/contact-us/): Agency headquarters; its line takes urgent care ride requests after hours. (814) 946-1235
- [Blair County Board of Commissioners](https://www.blaircountypa.gov/departments/commissioners): Holds the state MATP grant and approves the yearly MATP contract with Blair Senior Services. (814) 693-3030
- UPMC Medical Transportation: Coordinates UPMC for You members' medically necessary wheelchair van and ambulance trips. (877) 521-7433

In Blair County, one agency handles Medicaid rides from the rider's first call to the van ride. Blair Senior Services, the county's Area Agency on Aging, registers riders, books their trips, and drives in-county van rides in its own lift vans from a transportation office on Loop Road in Hollidaysburg. A ride company that wants work around Altoona, Hollidaysburg, and Tyrone deals with that agency and with the county commissioners who fund it.

## Who runs MATP in Blair County

The Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) pays for rides to Medical Assistance services for members with no other way to get there. Most counties run it themselves or through a vendor, while the state contracts directly with transit agencies in 13 counties and uses a broker in Philadelphia; the [Pennsylvania guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/pennsylvania/) covers the statewide rules, Public Utility Commission licensing, and driver clearances.

Blair Senior Services, Inc. is a private nonprofit that the Blair County commissioners set up in 1974 as the county's Area Agency on Aging, rather than keeping aging services inside county government. It began its shared-ride vans in 1975 with two vehicles, and it has operated the county's MATP since 1984. The state's June 25, 2026 [broker study](https://nemtguide.com/news/pennsylvania-matp-broker-study/) lists Blair as a county vendor county, where a vendor runs both the rides and the paperwork while the county oversees it.

The county holds the Department of Human Services (DHS) grant and signs a new MATP contract with the agency each year. Recent MATP items before the Board of Commissioners:

| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| July 17, 2025 | Approved the MATP participation grant agreement with the Commonwealth for July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 (Resolution 349-2025) |
| September 25, 2025 | Accepted an initial 2025-26 allocation of $2,199,966 and approved the MATP contract with Blair Senior Services for July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 (Resolutions 456-2025 and 457-2025) |
| February 26, 2026 agenda | The final 2024-25 allocation of $1,973,865 |
| July 30 and August 6, 2026 agendas | The 2026-27 MATP agreement between the county and Blair Senior Services |
| August 20, 2026 agenda | The participation grant agreement for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 |
| October 1, 2026 agenda | A 2026-27 MATP allocation of $2,174,635 |

The board usually meets Thursdays at 10 a.m. Its office is in the Blair County Courthouse, 423 Allegheny Street, Suite 441A, Hollidaysburg (814-693-3030), and agendas go up on the county website before each meeting.

## How Blair Senior Services gives MATP rides

The agency's MATP guidelines, revised in September 2021, require the least costly ride that meets each rider's needs. They offer four ways to get there:

- **Van rides in the county**, shared with other riders and booked 1 to 14 days ahead.
- **AMTRAN bus tickets**, required when a rider is able and both home and destination are within a quarter mile of a stop. The next tickets wait until the rider returns proof the appointments were kept.
- **Mileage payments** for riders who drive or get a ride, requested before the trip, plus receipted parking and tolls.
- **Out-of-county trips** by bus, train, or private van service. These need written notice of the appointment and a referral from a Blair County physician or primary care provider, and requests the agency cannot fill go to the County Assistance Office.

The guidelines exclude stretcher, door-through-door, and attendant-required trips, and the drivers work to the agency's April 2024 service guide:

- Book by 2 p.m. one business day ahead, up to two weeks out. No same-day trips.
- A driver knocks, waits up to five minutes, then may mark a [no-show](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/no-show/).
- Service is [door-to-door](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/door-to-door/): drivers walk riders between doors but never go inside.
- Every van has a lift rated for 850 pounds of rider and device together, for devices up to 30 by 48 inches.
- Automated calls remind riders the evening before and again when the van is 15 minutes away.

The state's MATP contact list, updated June 18, 2026, gives Blair's call center as weekdays 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and its ride hours as weekdays 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Saturday rides for dialysis only.

PennDOT's report for fiscal year 2024-25 (July 2024 to June 2025) shows the van service in a county of 525 square miles and 122,822 people (2020 Census):

| Blair Senior Services shared ride, fiscal 2024-25 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Trips for riders 65 and older | 41,179 |
| MATP trips | 28,459 |
| Other shared-ride trips | 10,793 |
| Persons with disabilities program | 716 |
| All shared-ride trips | 81,147 |
| Vehicles in peak service | 24 |
| Average cost per trip | $31.91 |
| Average fare per trip | $20.43 |

The agency also drives ADA paratransit for AMTRAN, Altoona's bus system, for riders within three quarters of a mile of a route. Its financial report for fiscal 2023-24 says daily van trips fell from 450 to 345 since the COVID-19 pandemic, and that transportation costs exceeded revenue for the fourth year in a row.

## Where Blair's MATP money goes

The agency's audited statements for the year ended June 30, 2024 break down that year's MATP block grant:

| MATP, fiscal 2023-24 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Block grant | $1,966,178 |
| Paratransit rides | $1,541,501 |
| Administration | $353,680 |
| Reimbursements | $47,286 |
| Senior shared ride | $15,908 |
| Mass transit | $7,803 |

The same audit credits the agency's own van department with $616,153 of MATP revenue that year. Its guidelines name taxis and private van services as other ways it carries riders. Ask the MATP coordinator how much of the paratransit budget goes to outside carriers, for which trips, and at what rate.

## How a NEMT company can get Blair County work

1. **Get your authority first.** No paid ride may run before your Public Utility Commission paratransit certificate is issued, and every driver needs the three MATP clearances. The [Pennsylvania guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/pennsylvania/) lists the steps and fees.
2. **Call the Transportation Office.** Ask at 814-695-3500 whether it buys trips from private carriers and what it requires of them. Its own rules leave these trips open:
   - Appointments outside the county, which its guidelines already send to bus, train, or private van service. See [long-distance medical transport](https://nemtguide.com/guides/long-distance-medical-transport/).
   - Saturdays beyond dialysis, Sundays, and rides after 6 p.m. See [dialysis transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/dialysis-transportation/).
   - Wheelchairs over the 850-pound or 30 by 48 inch lift limit. See [bariatric transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/bariatric-transportation/).
3. **Follow the courthouse.** The county's MATP contract with the agency runs July to June, and it came up in September 2025 and in July and August 2026. Watch the agendas for the next one.
4. **Serve the trips MATP leaves out.** Stretcher rides go to the rider's HealthChoices plan. Blair is in the Southwest zone, where [UPMC for You](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/upmc-for-you-pennsylvania/) coordinates medically necessary wheelchair van and ambulance trips through UPMC Medical Transportation at 1-877-521-7433, and Highmark Wholecare is one of the other plans.
5. **Price against the local figure.** The agency averaged $31.91 per shared-ride trip across all programs in 2024-25. Work out your own cost with the [cost per mile calculator](https://nemtguide.com/tools/nemt-cost-per-mile-calculator/) before you quote.

Blair Senior Services is also the county's aging agency, offering 28 programs directly or through subcontractors. Its shared ride takes riders 65 and older anywhere in the county for any purpose, with the Pennsylvania Lottery paying 85% of the fare. See [Area Agency on Aging transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/area-agency-on-aging-transportation/) for how that money buys rides.

Next door, [Cambria County](https://nemtguide.com/states/pennsylvania/cambria-county/) runs MATP through CamTran, whose April 2025 booklet lets Cambria riders travel to Blair appointments any weekday. Huntingdon, Bedford, Centre, and Clearfield counties also border Blair.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the phone number for Blair County MATP?

Call the Blair Senior Services Transportation Office at 814-695-3500 or toll free 1-800-458-5552, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. That is the number in the state's MATP contact list, updated June 18, 2026. Book by 2 p.m. one business day before the trip. For urgent care after hours, the agency's MATP guidelines give its main line, 814-946-1235 or 1-800-245-3282.

### Who runs MATP in Blair County, PA?

Blair Senior Services, Inc., a private nonprofit the Blair County commissioners set up in 1974 as the county's Area Agency on Aging. It has operated the county's MATP since 1984. The county holds the state grant and signs a yearly contract with the agency; the one for July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 was approved on September 25, 2025.

### Can a private NEMT company give MATP rides in Blair County?

Blair Senior Services drives in-county rides in its own lift vans, but its MATP guidelines name taxis for some rides and a bus, train, or private van service for trips out of the county. Ask the Transportation Office at 814-695-3500 whether it buys trips from outside carriers and on what terms. You also need Public Utility Commission paratransit authority before any paid ride.

### Does Blair County MATP run on weekends?

Only for dialysis on Saturdays. The state's June 18, 2026 contact list gives Blair's ride hours as weekdays 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday for dialysis only, with no Sunday service. The Transportation Office is closed on weekends and 11 holidays, and same-day trips are not offered.

### How do I get an MATP ride to an appointment outside Blair County?

Send Blair Senior Services written notice of the appointment date, time, and place ahead of time, with a referral from a Blair County physician or primary care provider. The agency uses a needs assessment to arrange a bus, train, or private van service, or pays mileage if you drive. Mileage claims are due within 45 days of the trip, and requests it cannot fill go to the County Assistance Office.

### Does Blair County MATP cover stretcher trips?

No. The agency's MATP guidelines exclude stretcher, door-through-door, and attendant-required trips, in line with the state's February 13, 2026 list of non-covered services. Stretcher trips go to the rider's HealthChoices plan. In this zone, UPMC for You requires medically necessary wheelchair van and ambulance requests to go through UPMC Medical Transportation at 1-877-521-7433.

## Official resources

- [Blair Senior Services: Transportation and MATP](https://www.blairsenior.org/transportation/)
- [Blair Senior Services: Revised MATP Guidelines](https://www.blairsenior.org/download/248/transportation/9373/revised-matp-guidelines.pdf)
- [Blair Senior Services: Transportation Program Service Guide](https://www.blairsenior.org/download/248/transportation/8858/shared-ride-user-guide.pdf)
- [Blair County: Commissioners agendas and minutes, 2026](https://www.blaircountypa.gov/departments/commissioners/2026commissionersminutes)
- [Pennsylvania PUC: Motor carrier forms and applications](https://www.puc.pa.gov/motor-carrier/forms-applications/)