Driver Ride-Along Checklist: What a Trainer Checks Before a New NEMT Driver Goes Solo

A class can teach the rules. Only a ride-along shows whether a new driver follows them with a real rider, a real lift, and a real schedule running late. This checklist gives the trainer one line for each thing to watch, from the walk-around before the first pickup to the last entry in the trip log, so every new driver is judged the same way and the sign-off for solo work is on paper.

How to use this template

1. Use one checklist per driver and per vehicle type. A driver cleared in a sedan is not cleared for a wheelchair van or a stretcher van. Print a new copy for each type the driver will use.
2. Ask each broker before a trainee rides on member trips. Get the answer in writing. MTM Health’s standard agreement, in the January 1, 2023 version Pennsylvania posts, bars any driver or attendant from its trips until fully credentialed. If a broker says no, run practice routes with staff playing the riders.
3. Finish the classes first. Work through the driver onboarding checklist until training and checks are done. Minnesota, for example, requires instruction and a demonstration on the ramp, lift, and securement devices, plus what to do and whom to call in an emergency, before any ride (Rules 8840.5910).
4. Ride in three stages. In stage 1 the trainer drives and the new driver watches and helps under direction. In stage 2 the new driver drives and does every task while the trainer coaches. In stage 3 the trainer stays quiet unless safety needs a word, and that ride decides the sign-off.
5. Score each line in the ride columns. Write P for pass, R for repeat, or N/A when the trip did not call for it. Use the notes column for what went wrong and what you said.
6. Stop on a safety miss. An R on any line in Part 4, or on belts, phone use, or railroad crossings in Part 5, means the trainer takes over for the rest of that trip. The scored ride is then repeated in full.
7. Talk through Part 8 at the end of each day. Some events, such as a lift failing or a rider falling ill, may never happen on a training ride. Ask what the driver would do and write down the answer.
8. Sign Part 9 only after a clean scored ride. Then copy the dates into the driver training log and set a 90-day review on the driver evaluation form.

The template

Part 1: Ride-along details

Field	Write the entry here in pen
New driver’s full name
Trainer’s name and years driving
Vehicle type and van number
Levels of assistance to clear (curb-to-curb, door-to-door, hand-to-hand)
Riders to clear (walking, wheelchair, stretcher, children in car seats)
Broker’s written answer on trainees aboard member trips (date, or “practice routes only”)
Classes and checks finished before the first ride (date)
Stage 1, 2, and 3 ride dates

Part 2: Before the first trip

Item	Ride 1	Ride 2	Ride 3	Notes
Walk-around: brakes, parking brake, steering, lights and reflectors, tires, horn, wipers, mirrors
Daily inspection sheet filled in and signed
Lift or ramp run through a full cycle, and the manual backup explained
Van shown not to move with the lift out, or pulled from service if it can
Four tie-downs and a lap and shoulder belt at each station, with no cuts or fraying
Extinguisher, first aid kit, spill kit, belt cutter, belt extenders, and warning triangles found
Heat and air conditioning checked from the back of the van
Manifest read: times, addresses, level of assistance, mobility device, escort, special notes
Broker’s driver app and tracking logged in before the first pickup
Route planned, with GPS or a current map

Part 3: Arrival and greeting

Item	Ride 1	Ride 2	Ride 3	Notes
Arrives within the pickup window, and calls dispatch before running late
Parks out of traffic where the rider can board safely
Gets out to open and close the door
Shows ID and announces at the entrance when the pickup is not curbside
Confirms the rider’s name and trip before boarding
Gives the level of assistance on the manifest, no more and no less
Waits the required time and calls dispatch before any no-show

Part 4: Boarding, lift, and securement

Item	Ride 1	Ride 2	Ride 3	Notes
Explains each step to the rider before doing it
Gives the rider time to board without rushing
Lets a rider who stands use the lift, holding both handrails
Asks whether a wheelchair rider prefers to face in or out on the lift
Places the chair facing forward and sets its brakes or powers it off
Hooks four tie-downs to the frame, never a wheel, and takes out the slack
Tests that the chair moves no more than 2 inches
Fastens the lap and shoulder belt on the rider, separate from the chair straps
Offers a move to a van seat but never requires it
Stows walkers, canes, folding chairs, and loose items
Buckles every rider, with an extender where needed
Handles child seats the way your state and broker require
Allows service animals and portable oxygen, with oxygen secured
Looks over every belt and strap once more before moving

Part 5: On the road

Item	Ride 1	Ride 2	Ride 3	Notes
Keeps the van stopped until every rider is secure
No handheld phone, texting, or headphones while moving
Smooth starts, stops, and turns for riders who cannot brace
Safe following distance, signals every turn and lane change
Merges and changes lanes safely
Comes to a complete stop at every railroad crossing
Backs only when needed, slowly, and checks all around first
Keeps to the speed limit even when running late
Keeps tracking on for the whole ride
Keeps the manifest out of other riders’ sight and does not discuss riders
Pulls over out of traffic and calls dispatch if a rider’s behavior makes driving unsafe

Part 6: Drop-off

Item	Ride 1	Ride 2	Ride 3	Notes
Parks so the rider reaches the entrance without crossing a street, where possible
Releases the belt, then the tie-downs, and lowers the rider safely
Walks the rider to the door, or hands the rider to a named person, as the manifest says
Confirms the rider is inside before leaving
Accepts no money, gifts, or offers of other work from the rider
Puts straps and belts away off the floor

Part 7: Trip paperwork

Item	Ride 1	Ride 2	Ride 3	Notes
Enters arrival, pickup, and drop-off times as they happen
Records odometer readings or mileage the way the broker requires
Gets the rider’s signature where the broker requires one
Marks the trip completed in the broker’s app
Documents a no-show with the time, calls made, and dispatch notice
Knows when an incident report is needed and whom to call

Part 8: What would you do?

Situation	Driver’s answer	OK or review
A rider has a medical emergency in the van
The van is in a crash with riders aboard
The lift stops halfway with a rider on it
A wheelchair will not secure well
A rider vomits or bleeds in the van
A rider becomes upset or unsafe while you drive
A rider asks you to carry them up stairs or help them dress
The rider is not at the pickup
A caller asks where a rider went today

Part 9: Solo sign-off

Field	Write the entry here in pen
Stage 1 and stage 2 ride dates and trip counts
Stage 3 scored ride: date, trips, and approximate miles
Vehicle types cleared
Levels of assistance and rider types cleared
Lines repeated, and the date each one passed
Broker approval of the driver received (date, for each broker)
Date of the first solo ride
Trainer’s printed name and signature
Owner or manager’s printed name and signature
30-day check-in and 90-day evaluation dates

How many ride-alongs, and who rides with the new driver

No federal rule sets a number of ride-alongs. The ADA rule for demand response services sets the standard instead: staff trained to proficiency, so they run vehicles and equipment safely and assist riders with disabilities respectfully and courteously (49 CFR 37.173). Ride along until the trainer has seen that, line by line.

A few programs spell out a road test or a behind-the-wheel check. These were current in September 2026.

Program	What it requires	When
Minnesota special transportation (Rules 8840.5910)	An evaluation of behind-the-wheel skills: defensive driving, merging, lane changes, right and left turns, backing, railroad crossings, and parking. Every driver must also be able to do a vehicle safety inspection and run the lift or ramp (Rules 8840.5900).	Before the first ride
Oregon: CareOregon (manual version 1.3, February 2024) and GOBHI (revised July 2025)	Vehicle orientation and a road test in the type of vehicle, with the equipment the driver will operate	Before carrying members or other passengers
New York ambulettes (Article 19-A, VTL 509-g)	A behind-the-wheel test by the carrier’s competent supervisors that includes defensive driving and may happen during normal daily work, plus regular observation while carrying passengers	Every two years for the test
Federal commercial vans (49 CFR 391.31)	A road test in the type of vehicle, rated item by item on a form the examiner signs, and a certificate with the approximate miles driven	Before the first trip. A CDL for that vehicle type or a certificate from the last 3 years may stand in (49 CFR 391.33).

New York’s Medicaid transportation manual (effective August 25, 2023) requires ambulette drivers to be qualified under Article 19-A. Its road test covers the pre-trip inspection, putting the vehicle in operation, controls and emergency equipment, traffic and passing, turning, braking and slowing, and backing and parking. The federal road test lists nearly the same skills. Parts 2 and 5 above cover them, but a federal road test still needs its own signed rating form and certificate.

The federal road test applies on trips in interstate commerce when a van is designed or used to carry 9 or more people, including the driver, for pay, or has a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more (49 CFR 390.5). The examiner must be competent to judge the driver, and an owner who is the motor carrier must be tested by someone else. See do NEMT drivers need a CDL.

Pick a trainer with a clean driving record, current training, and no recent complaints. Give the trainer the same checklist every time, so two trainers score the same driver the same way.

The rules behind each part

Part 2, before the first trip. Louisiana requires the driver to confirm the brakes, parking brakes, steering, lights and reflectors, tires, horn, wipers, and mirrors work before driving (manual section 10.4, issued July 14, 2025). Lifts built to the federal ADA vehicle standard must be interlocked so the van cannot move until the lift is stowed. They must also have an emergency way to lower an occupant to the ground if power fails (49 CFR 38.23(b)). Georgia’s interlock requires the van in park with the emergency brake set whenever the lift or ramp is out (DCH manual, section 909.1.2). Virginia measures heat and air conditioning from the rear of the vehicle: cooling to 68 degrees and heating to 74 (DMAS, updated May 26, 2026).

Part 3, arrival. Virginia requires drivers to exit the vehicle to open and close doors, and to show ID and announce themselves at the entrance when the pickup is not curbside. Georgia and Texas also require drivers to identify themselves and announce their arrival. Waits before a no-show differ: at least 10 minutes after the scheduled pickup for Texas Medicaid health plans, and at least 15 minutes with a call to dispatch before leaving under CareOregon’s manual. MTM Health’s Virginia handbook counts a first pickup on time from 15 minutes before to 15 minutes after the scheduled time. If the rider is not ready within that window, the driver follows MTM’s no-show steps and tries a phone call or text before leaving. See pickup window and level of service.

Part 4, boarding and securement. The federal ADA rules set most of this part.

• Drivers assist with securement systems, ramps, and lifts where needed or when asked, and leave their seats to do it (49 CFR 37.165(f)).
• A rider who does not use a wheelchair, including one who stands, may use the lift or ramp (49 CFR 37.165(g)). Lifts built to the standard allow riders to face in or out and have handrails on two sides (49 CFR 38.23(b)).
• You may recommend that a wheelchair rider move to a van seat, but you may not require it (49 CFR 37.165(e)). You may not refuse a ride because the chair cannot be secured well (49 CFR 37.165(d)).
• Once secured the way the system’s maker describes, a chair must move no more than 2 inches. The rider’s lap and shoulder belt is never a substitute for the chair’s securement (49 CFR 38.23(d)).
• Louisiana states that lap positioning belts and chest straps are not enough to restrain a wheelchair rider. MTM Health in Virginia requires four working securements at each station and a lap and shoulder belt mounted to the van.
• Riders may bring service animals and portable oxygen, and they get enough time to board and exit (49 CFR 37.167).

Child seat rules vary. Texas bars drivers serving its Medicaid health plans from installing or securing a child safety seat. Georgia requires children under 8 in a child seat or booster under state law. MTM Health’s Rhode Island handbook makes the driver confirm an approved, age-appropriate seat is in use, with the adult escort supplying it. The full securement steps are on the wheelchair securement checklist.

Part 5, on the road. Virginia bars phones, including texting, and headphones while the vehicle moves. MTM Health allows only a Bluetooth headset. Georgia bars headphones at any time on duty, and Texas allows a phone while driving only for directions on the current trip. Louisiana requires a complete stop at every railroad crossing. Minnesota’s passenger assistance course teaches that riders may not be able to grab a rail or brace for a sudden stop or sharp turn.

MTM Health’s Virginia handbook also requires tracking active for the whole ride and says safety must never be compromised to meet scheduling requirements. When a rider’s behavior makes driving unsafe, the driver pulls over out of traffic and calls dispatch. Virginia requires drivers to keep rider information out of other passengers’ sight.

Part 6, drop-off. MTM Health’s Virginia handbook asks drivers to stop where riders can reach the entrance without crossing streets whenever possible. Virginia and Georgia require the driver to confirm the rider is inside before leaving. MTM Health treats a drop at the wrong place, or skipping a required hand-to-hand handoff, as abandonment, its most serious infraction level. See hand-to-hand.

Part 7, paperwork. MTM Health in Virginia denies a claim unless the electronic trip log shows the trip ID, scheduled and actual pickup times, departure and arrival times, and the rider’s signature, with the trip marked completed. Failing to report an incident or accident to MTM is also a top-level infraction. See NEMT trip documentation.

What a new driver should never do, even when asked

Riders and families sometimes ask for help a driver is not trained or allowed to give. CareOregon’s manual lists tasks drivers should never do:

• Personal care, such as dressing or feeding a rider.
• Transfers into or out of a wheelchair or bed, or full-weight support while walking, unless the driver is licensed, trained, and authorized by the brokerage.
• Going inside a private home or a rider’s room in a care facility, under the same condition.
• Going into the exam room or sitting in on the appointment.
• Approving safety exceptions, such as a seat belt exemption, without proper documentation.

The same manual has drivers help riders with stairs when needed or asked, but never physically support or carry a rider up or down. The driver tells the NEMT manager when a rider needs that. Virginia and Texas also limit touching a rider to what is needed to help with boarding, seating, belts, or first aid the driver is trained to give. For safe ways to help, see safe passenger transfers.

When a new driver is not ready yet

Most new drivers need a repeat on a few lines, and that is what the ride-along is for. Write the line, the date, and what you retaught, then repeat the stage. Record any retraining in the training log.

Every miss you catch now is one a broker would score later. MTM Health’s Virginia handbook (approved August 10, 2026) charges 1 point for passenger seat belts not buckled, a van not kept stopped until the rider is secure, or a van not parked safely for loading. A substantiated securement complaint costs 2 points, and at 3 points your access to its trip marketplace is suspended. Georgia removes a driver after one confirmed failure to secure a wheelchair until you send the broker proof of securement training (DCH manual, section 907.16).

Keep the driver off solo trips until Part 9 is signed and each broker has approved the driver. MTM Health may not pay for trips by drivers it has not credentialed.

Pay, privacy, and records

• Pay every ride-along hour. For employees, training you require is work time (29 CFR 785.27 and 785.28). Record it on the driver timesheet.
• Treat the trainee as staff for privacy. Under HIPAA, “workforce” includes trainees whose work is under your direct control (45 CFR 160.103). A covered entity trains each new workforce member on its privacy policies within a reasonable time after joining (45 CFR 164.530). Have the trainee sign your confidentiality agreement before seeing a manifest. See HIPAA for NEMT providers for when these rules reach your company.
• File the signed checklist. Keep it in the driver qualification file. For commercial van drivers, the original road test form and certificate stay in that file, and the driver gets a copy of the certificate (49 CFR 391.31). The file is kept for the whole job and 3 years after (49 CFR 391.51). MTM Health’s standard agreement asks for complete records of your operations for 10 years.