# Lancaster County MATP: How Red Rose Access Buys Rides and Where NEMT Companies Fit

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

Lancaster County MATP is run by Red Rose Access, the shared ride service of the Red Rose Transit Authority, under a state grant held by the South Central Transit Authority (SCTA). Riders book at 717-291-1243. One contracted carrier, Easton Coach, drives the trips, and it sent the only proposal for the contract SCTA awarded in April 2026, so a new company starts as a subcontractor or at the next bid.

- Lancaster County government does not buy MATP rides. SCTA holds a direct DHS grant and runs the program as Red Rose Access.
- Easton Coach drives every Red Rose Access trip, and it was the only bidder when SCTA awarded the shared ride contract on April 15, 2026.
- SCTA buys the shared ride vans itself. In June 2026 it approved 18 new ones for Lancaster at $146,270 each.
- Stretcher and ambulance rides are not MATP trips. They go to the rider's HealthChoices plan, which is a separate door for a new company.

## Lancaster County NEMT at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Who runs MATP | Red Rose Access, part of the Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA), managed by the South Central Transit Authority from 45 Erick Road, Lancaster |
| How the county fits | Lancaster is one of 13 counties that let the Department of Human Services manage MATP. DHS grants the money straight to SCTA, so the county runs no MATP bid. |
| Ride line | 717-291-1243 or 800-892-1122, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The office takes no calls on Saturdays or Sundays. |
| Who drives | Easton Coach Co., the one contracted carrier for Red Rose Access (August 2026 rider guide) |
| Last bid | On April 15, 2026, SCTA's board awarded shared ride service to Easton Coach, the only company that sent a proposal. Terms were still to be negotiated. |
| Vans | SCTA buys them. In June 2026 its board approved 18 replacement shared ride vans for Lancaster at $146,270 each. |
| What DHS paid SCTA | $24.00 per completed trip up to 237,000 trips, then $20.10, for July 2019 to June 2020, across Berks and Lancaster |
| Trip volume | 88,205 MATP trips out of 362,373 shared ride trips in fiscal 2024-25, Berks and Lancaster counted together |
| Health plans | HealthChoices Lehigh/Capital zone: AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania, Geisinger, Jefferson Health Plans EverWell, Highmark Wholecare, UPMC for You |

## Who arranges rides here

- [Red Rose Access (Red Rose Transit Authority)](https://www.redrosetransit.com/red-rose-access/programs-eligibility/medical-assistance-program): Takes MATP applications and books Medical Assistance rides for Lancaster County residents. (717) 291-1243
- [South Central Transit Authority](https://www.sctapa.com/what-were-about/procurement/overview): Holds the state MATP grant and buys shared ride service and vans for Red Rose Access. (717) 397-5612
- [RRTA Operations Center, 45 Erick Road](https://www.redrosetransit.com/red-rose-access/office-hours-service-hours): Red Rose Transit's Lancaster offices, where Red Rose Access is managed. (717) 397-5613
- Easton Coach Co.: The contracted carrier that drives Red Rose Access trips across Lancaster County.

In Lancaster County, Medical Assistance rides are booked by Red Rose Access and driven by one private carrier under a contract the South Central Transit Authority (SCTA) awards. The county government is not the buyer, so an NEMT owner here deals with SCTA and its carrier, not a county MATP office.

Pennsylvania pays for Medicaid rides through the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP), run county by county everywhere but Philadelphia, and every paid ride needs Public Utility Commission authority. The licensing steps, driver clearances, and statewide trip rules are on the [Pennsylvania guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/pennsylvania/). This page covers how Lancaster does it.

## Who runs MATP in Lancaster County

Berks and Lancaster counties formed SCTA, a municipal authority that began operating in 2014, to manage the Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) and its Berks County counterpart, BARTA. Lancaster is one of the 13 counties that, per the state's June 25, 2026 broker study, chose to let the Department of Human Services (DHS) manage MATP. DHS funds those counties through two grants to transit agencies that it awards without a competitive solicitation, and SCTA holds the one covering Berks and Lancaster. The study says DHS justified these grants by the lack of other qualified MATP providers and little prospect of savings from a bid. See [the study's findings](https://nemtguide.com/news/pennsylvania-matp-broker-study/).

Red Rose Access is older than SCTA. It began in 1979 as LISTS, a nonprofit brokerage the county, the city, and local agencies set up so that agencies would stop running their own vans. It merged into RRTA in 1992 and took its current name. The county's 2012 coordination plan called it the single point of contact for all social service transportation in Lancaster County. Its August 2026 rider guide still lists senior shared ride, ADA paratransit, MATP, Persons with Disabilities, county behavioral health and developmental services trips, and human service agency rides.

Riders call 717-291-1243 (toll free 800-892-1122) on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. They book at least one day ahead and up to two weeks out, and a recurring trip can go on a standing order. The guide tells MATP riders to call after 3 p.m. the day before for their pickup time. Mileage reimbursement pays $0.25 a mile as of August 2026, with checks every two weeks. New riders can apply through PennDOT's Find My Ride site or on paper, and may ride for up to 30 days while RRTA waits for the signed application.

### When Red Rose Access runs

| Day | Earliest trip | Latest trip |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 4:50 a.m. | 11:10 p.m. |
| Saturday | 5:40 a.m. | 11:10 p.m. |
| Sunday | 7:15 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. |

Those hours, from the August 2026 rider guide, apply to trips that start and end within three quarters of a mile of a bus route. Elsewhere in the county, weekday times depend on where the rider lives. Out-of-county trips run on weekdays and must be booked by 5:30 p.m. at least two weekdays ahead, and RRTA's MATP guidelines let riders reach in-network providers across their HealthChoices region. The service generally stops on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

## Who drives the trips

RRTA says it uses a contracted carrier to perform Red Rose Access, and that the transportation is provided by Easton Coach Co. When the office is closed, riders reach Easton's dispatch at 717-396-1001, option 2.

On April 15, 2026, SCTA's board took up Resolution 02-2026, the award of its shared ride service contract. SCTA had received one proposal, from Easton Coach, the current provider, for shared ride service in Lancaster and to supplement BARTA's service in Reading. The board approved the award, and SCTA's executive director said the terms still had to be negotiated. The fiscal 2026-27 operating budget the board approved on July 15, 2026 includes funding for a new shared ride contract.

It was not always one carrier. The county's 2012 human services transportation plan described two private operators covering six service sectors, each running and maintaining vehicles they leased from RRTA. SCTA still buys the fleet:

- **New vans.** On June 17, 2026, the board approved 18 shared ride vans for Lancaster at $146,270 each, $2,632,860 in all, paid with federal and state capital money. They replace 18 Ford vans from 2022.
- **Federal help.** PennDOT's fiscal 2024-25 report counts 29 vehicles funded for SCTA in the Lancaster urbanized area through the federal Section 5310 program in fiscal 2020 through 2024. See [Section 5310 grants](https://nemtguide.com/guides/section-5310-grants/).
- **Lift limits.** The average Red Rose Access lift holds 800 pounds, rider and chair together, on a 34 by 51 inch platform.

## What the money looks like

Under the grant renewal DHS issued on April 29, 2019, DHS paid SCTA an all-inclusive fee for each completed trip from July 2019 through June 2020, for Berks and Lancaster together:

| Term | July 2019 to June 2020 |
|---|---|
| First 237,000 completed trips | $24.00 each |
| Trips after 237,000 | $20.10 each |
| Most DHS would pay | $6,112,948.89 |
| Senior shared ride copays | Paid on top, as invoiced |
| Billing | 12 monthly invoices, each due within 20 days of the month's end, plus a final one |

That is what DHS paid SCTA for the whole program, not the rate SCTA pays its carrier. PennDOT's fiscal 2024-25 profile shows the scale: 362,373 shared ride trips in the two counties, 88,205 of them MATP trips, at an average cost of $34.97 per trip, with 88 vehicles in peak service.

The program is under strain. On July 15, 2026, SCTA's executive director told the board the shared ride program was running a $5.5 million deficit, and that fares had not gone up since 2017. Fares rose about 19% on August 1, 2026, so the full fare for a Red Rose Access trip now runs from $17.50 under 2 miles to $56.00 over 16 miles, and $60.00 for trips up to 10 miles past the county line. MATP riders and their escorts still ride free.

## How a company gets Lancaster County MATP work

### Talk to the carrier

With one carrier holding a contract it was still negotiating in spring 2026, the realistic first job in Lancaster County is work under that carrier. Ask Easton Coach's Lancaster operation whether it subcontracts, for which hours and service levels, and on what terms before you buy a van for it. Read [how to subcontract NEMT trips](https://nemtguide.com/guides/subcontract-nemt-trips/) first.

### Get on SCTA's bidders list

SCTA uses a bidders list to decide whom to contact when it buys a service, and it posts some requests for proposals on PennBid. Fill out its vendor registration form, choose "Other," and write in shared ride or paratransit service. SCTA's board usually meets at 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month, alternating between Lancaster and Reading, and it votes on contract awards there, as it did on the shared ride contract in April 2026. The last shared ride award drew one proposal, so SCTA had no second price to compare. See [government NEMT contracts](https://nemtguide.com/guides/government-nemt-contracts/).

### Serve what MATP leaves out

Stretcher and non-emergency ambulance rides are not MATP trips in Pennsylvania, and they go to the rider's health plan. Lancaster is in the HealthChoices Lehigh/Capital zone, served by AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania, Geisinger Health Plan, Jefferson Health Plans EverWell, Highmark Wholecare, and [UPMC for You](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/upmc-for-you-pennsylvania/). See [how to contract with Medicaid health plans](https://nemtguide.com/guides/contract-with-medicaid-health-plans/).

### Look next door

[Berks County](https://nemtguide.com/states/pennsylvania/berks-county/) runs under the same SCTA grant, but BARTA still drives part of its own schedule. [York County](https://nemtguide.com/states/pennsylvania/york-county/) is run by [rabbittransit](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/rabbittransit/), and [Chester County](https://nemtguide.com/states/pennsylvania/chester-county/) sits in a different health plan zone.

## What to do first

1. **File for PUC paratransit authority** naming Lancaster County in your territory, and add Berks if you want both. Plan on three months or more.
2. **Call SCTA at 717-397-5612** and ask when the shared ride contract is next due for bid. The 717-291-1243 line is for riders.
3. **Ask Easton Coach** whether it hires subcontractors in Lancaster County, for which service levels and hours.
4. **Register with SCTA** through its vendor form and create a PennBid account.
5. **Read SCTA's board agendas each month** so you see the next shared ride solicitation early.
6. **Contact the Lehigh/Capital health plans** about stretcher and ambulance trips, which MATP refers to them.

## Frequently asked questions

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

Red Rose Access takes MATP calls at 717-291-1243, or toll free at 800-892-1122, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It no longer takes calls on Saturdays or Sundays. To cancel or check a ride after hours or on a weekend, riders call the carrier, Easton Coach, at 717-396-1001 and choose option 2 for dispatch.

### Who is the MATP provider in Lancaster County, PA?

Red Rose Access, the shared ride division of the Red Rose Transit Authority. The South Central Transit Authority (SCTA), which Berks and Lancaster counties formed to manage their transit systems, holds the MATP grant from the Department of Human Services. The rides themselves are driven by Easton Coach Co. under a contract with SCTA.

### Can my NEMT company get Lancaster County MATP trips?

Not straight from the county. SCTA buys all Red Rose Access driving through one shared ride contract, and on April 15, 2026 it awarded that contract to Easton Coach after receiving no other proposal. Your options are to ask Easton Coach about subcontract work, register with SCTA so you hear about the next bid, and serve the health plans for stretcher trips MATP does not cover.

### How much does Lancaster County MATP pay per trip?

The carrier's rate with SCTA is set in a negotiated contract. For July 2019 to June 2020, DHS paid SCTA $24.00 per completed trip up to 237,000 trips a year and $20.10 per trip after that, capped at $6,112,948.89 for both counties. PennDOT put SCTA's average shared ride cost at $34.97 per trip in fiscal 2024-25.

### Does Red Rose Access run on weekends and holidays?

Yes, for trips that start and end within three quarters of a mile of a Red Rose Transit bus route: Saturdays from 5:40 a.m. to 11:10 p.m. and Sundays from 7:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. It generally does not run on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, or Christmas Day.

### Does Lancaster County MATP pay for stretcher trips?

No. MATP does not cover stretcher or non-emergency ambulance rides, and those requests go to the rider's HealthChoices plan. In Lancaster County that means one of the five Lehigh/Capital zone plans: AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania, Geisinger Health Plan, Jefferson Health Plans EverWell, Highmark Wholecare, or UPMC for You.

## Official resources

- [Red Rose Access Services Guide (August 2026)](https://www.redrosetransit.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Red-Rose-Access-Guide-2026.pdf)
- [South Central Transit Authority: Board meetings, agendas and minutes](https://www.sctapa.com/what-were-about/about-us/board-meetings)
- [South Central Transit Authority: Vendor registration form](https://www.sctapa.com/what-were-about/procurement/vendor-registration-form)
- [PennBid: public bid postings SCTA uses for some solicitations](https://pennbid.net)
- [Pennsylvania DHS: Medical Assistance Transportation Program](https://www.pa.gov/services/dhs/medical-assistance-transportation-program)