# NEMT Driver Onboarding Checklist: From Job Offer to First Solo Ride

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-driver-onboarding-checklist/ · Updated 2026-09-28

A NEMT driver onboarding checklist takes a new driver from a signed job offer to a first solo ride. It puts the paid checks, the day-one hiring forms, the training your state and broker require, broker approval, and supervised ride-alongs in order. Brokers such as MTM Health may not pay for trips by drivers they have not approved, so keep the driver off the schedule until every line is done.

- Make a written conditional offer first. Then order the driving record, background check, and drug test your broker requires.
- Form I-9 Section 1 is due by the first day of paid work and Section 2 within 3 business days. Report the hire to your state within 20 days.
- Finish every course your state and broker name before the first solo ride. That meets the strictest deadline in most programs.
- Wait for each broker to approve the driver in writing. A trip by a driver the broker never credentialed can go unpaid.
- Have a trainer ride along on real routes and sign off in writing before the driver goes solo.

Hiring a driver is only half the work. Before that driver can carry a Medicaid rider, your state and every broker you work with want proof of the checks, the forms, the training, and their own approval, all dated before the first trip. This checklist puts each step in order, from the signed offer to the first solo ride.

## How to use this template

1. **Start the checklist the day you make the offer.** Print one for each new driver and each attendant. It tracks the steps. The [driver qualification file checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-driver-file-checklist/) holds the proof once each step is done.
2. **Add your broker's rules first.** List every broker and health plan the driver will serve in Part 1. Then read each contract or handbook and write any extra items into the blank rows. Rules differ a lot: Virginia's Medicaid agency sets the minimum driver age at 18, and MTM Health's Virginia handbook sets it at 21.
3. **Work the parts in order.** Paid checks wait for a written conditional offer. Training waits for clear results. Solo trips wait for broker approval. If you ran the free exclusion searches before the offer, write those dates in Part 2.
4. **Date and initial every line.** The date shows the step came before the first ride. Keep the report, certificate, or saved search behind the checklist in the driver's file.
5. **Keep medical papers in a separate file.** Post-offer medical questions and exam results go in a locked medical file, apart from the driver file. The ADA rule, 29 CFR 1630.14(b), requires it for employers with 15 or more employees. Where a rule puts the medical examiner's certificate itself in the driver file, as Minnesota Rules 8840.6100 does, file the certificate there and keep the rest of the exam in the medical file.
6. **Upload to each broker as soon as results arrive.** Brokers review documents before they approve a driver, so every day you wait pushes back the first trip.
7. **Keep the driver off solo trips until Part 7 is signed.** MTM Health's standard agreement, in the January 1, 2023 version Pennsylvania posts, bars any driver from its trips until fully credentialed. MTM may not pay for trips by uncredentialed drivers.

For finding and screening drivers before the offer, see [how to hire NEMT drivers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/hire-nemt-drivers/).

## The template

### Part 1: New driver details

| Field | Write the entry here in pen |
|---|---|
| Full name as it appears on the driver's license | |
| Role (driver, attendant, or owner-driver) | |
| Employee or contractor | |
| Date the conditional offer was signed | |
| First day of paid work | |
| Target date for the first solo ride | |
| Brokers and health plans the driver will serve | |
| Vehicle types to clear (sedan, wheelchair van, stretcher van) | |
| Trainer assigned | |
| Person responsible for this checklist | |

### Part 2: After the offer, before the first day

| Step | Date done | Result | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written conditional offer signed by the driver | | | |
| Copy of the driver's license, front and back | | | |
| Stand-alone background check notice given to the driver | | | |
| Written permission for checks signed, including yearly reruns | | | |
| OIG exclusion list (LEIE) search, copy saved | | | |
| SAM.gov exclusion search, copy saved | | | |
| State Medicaid exclusion list search, where one exists | | | |
| Driving record pulled and compared with each broker's limits | | | |
| Criminal background check cleared (agency and places searched) | | | |
| Sex offender registry search (NSOPW.gov and state), copy saved | | | |
| Drug test passed (panel and lab) | | | |
| State background study cleared, where required | | | |
| Medical examiner's certificate, where required | | | |
| Notices sent before and after any decision not to hire | | | |
| | | | |

### Part 3: Day one paperwork

| Form or item | Date done | Initials |
|---|---|---|
| Form I-9 Section 1, completed by the driver by the first day of paid work | | |
| Form I-9 Section 2, completed by you within 3 business days | | |
| Form W-4 (employees) or Form W-9 (contractors) | | |
| State tax withholding form, if your state has one | | |
| New hire report sent to your state (due within 20 days) | | |
| Direct deposit and emergency contact forms | | |
| Job description and pay plan, signed | | |
| Handbook and code of conduct, signed | | |
| Drug and alcohol policy, signed | | |
| Confidentiality agreement for rider information, signed | | |
| Photo ID badge with the driver's name and your company name | | |
| Uniform, keys, fuel card, and phone issued | | |
| Logins for your dispatch app and each broker's driver app | | |
| Insurer told about the new driver, if your policy lists drivers | | |

### Part 4: Training before the first solo ride

| Course | Date completed | Hours | Next due | Certificate in file |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company orientation: levels of service, conduct, reaching dispatch | | | | |
| HIPAA privacy and security | | | | |
| Fraud, waste, and abuse | | | | |
| Each broker's required modules | | | | |
| Abuse prevention and mandatory reporting | | | | |
| Accident and incident reporting | | | | |
| Daily vehicle inspection | | | | |
| Ramp or lift operation, in each van type | | | | |
| Wheelchair securement and rider belts, on your own vans | | | | |
| Passenger assistance (PASS or the course your broker names) | | | | |
| First aid | | | | |
| CPR | | | | |
| Defensive driving | | | | |
| Bloodborne pathogens and spill kit | | | | |
| Hepatitis B vaccine offered (accepted or declination signed) | | | | |
| Child safety seats, if the driver will carry children | | | | |
| Trip paperwork, signatures, and no-show steps | | | | |

### Part 5: Broker and state approval

| Step | Broker or agency | Date sent | Date approved | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver added to the broker's driver roster | | | | |
| License, driving record, background check, and drug test uploaded | | | | |
| Training certificates uploaded | | | | |
| Broker's own training modules completed | | | | |
| Written approval or driver ID received | | | | |
| Broker or program ID badge received, where issued | | | | |
| State driver enrollment, where required | | | | |
| | | | | |

### Part 6: Ride-alongs with a trainer

| Date | Van | Trips | Greeting and ID | Securement and belts | Driving | Paperwork | Trainer initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |

### Part 7: Solo sign-off

| Field | Write the entry here in pen |
|---|---|
| Every line in Parts 2 to 5 dated (yes or no) | |
| Written approval on file from each broker (yes or no) | |
| Vehicle types cleared for solo trips | |
| First renewal dates copied to the driver file | |
| Trainer's name and signature | |
| Owner or manager's name and signature | |
| Date of the first solo ride | |
| 30-day check-in date and notes | |

## Why the order matters

The steps follow the law as much as common sense. Each federal rule below sets a gate or a deadline.

### Checks come after a written conditional offer

The EEOC says that once you make a conditional job offer, you may ask disability-related questions and require medical exams, as long as every new hire in the same job gets them. A test for illegal drugs is not a medical exam under the ADA, so the ADA does not limit when you give it. An alcohol test is a medical exam, so it waits for the offer. For state limits on drug testing and criminal history questions, see NEMT driver drug testing and NEMT driver background checks.

When a screening company runs the driving record or background check, the Fair Credit Reporting Act applies. The FTC's guidance (October 2016) lists the steps:

1. Give a written notice that you may use a consumer report for job decisions. It must stand alone, never inside the job application.
2. Get written permission. If it should cover checks during the whole job, such as yearly reruns, say so clearly.
3. Certify to the screening company that you gave the notice, got permission, and will follow the law.
4. Before you turn someone down because of the report, give them a copy of it and "A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act."
5. After you decide, send an adverse action notice with the screening company's name, address, and phone number, a statement that it did not make the decision, and the person's right to dispute the report and get a free copy within 60 days.

### Exclusion searches come first and never stop

Federal Medicaid law sets a floor for every NEMT driver. Under section 1902(a)(87) of the Social Security Act, states must make sure each driver is not excluded from federal health care programs and has a valid license, and that your company has processes for state drug law violations and for disclosing each driver's driving history. CMS says in SMD 23-006 (September 28, 2023) that federal Medicaid law sets no other basic driver standards.

The exclusion search is free and fast, so do it before anything you pay for. OIG says no federal health care program pays for items or services furnished by an excluded person, and that bar reaches anyone who employs them. Its online search takes up to five names at a time and confirms a possible match with the person's Social Security number. CMS asked states in SMDL #09-001 (January 16, 2009) to have providers screen before hiring and search the OIG list every month. See the [OIG exclusion list](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/oig-exclusion-list/) for how to read a result.

### Hiring forms and their deadlines

| Form | Deadline | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Form I-9, Section 1 | By the first day of work for pay. The driver may complete it any time after accepting the offer. | USCIS, page updated September 11, 2026 |
| Form I-9, Section 2 | Within 3 business days of the first day of work for pay. A Monday start means Thursday. | USCIS, page updated September 18, 2026 |
| New hire report | Within 20 days of hire, or sooner if your state sets a shorter deadline. You may send it on the W-4 itself or an equivalent form. | 42 U.S.C. 653a |
| Form W-4 | At hire, so you can withhold the right federal income tax | IRS |
| Form W-9 | At signing, before the first payment to a contractor | IRS (it gives you the taxpayer ID number for the information return) |
| Keeping Form I-9 | 3 years after the hire date or 1 year after the job ends, whichever is later | USCIS Handbook M-274 |

Whether a driver should be an employee or a contractor changes several of these forms. See [NEMT drivers: 1099 or W-2](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-drivers-1099-or-w2/).

### Federal training rules that reach every company

- **ADA.** Every public or private company that runs demand response rides must train staff to proficiency, so they operate vehicles and equipment safely and assist riders with disabilities respectfully (49 CFR 37.173).
- **HIPAA.** A covered entity trains each new workforce member on its privacy policies within a reasonable time after the person joins (45 CFR 164.530(b)). See [HIPAA for NEMT providers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/hipaa-for-nemt/).
- **Bloodborne pathogens.** If a driver can be expected to contact blood or body fluids on the job, such as during cleanup or first aid, OSHA's standard applies. Train at initial assignment and at least once a year after that, at no cost and during working hours. Offer the hepatitis B vaccine after that training and within 10 working days of initial assignment, and have a driver who declines sign the statement in the standard's Appendix A (29 CFR 1910.1030).
- **Pay for training time.** Required training counts as hours worked for employees unless it is outside regular hours, voluntary, not directly related to the job, and involves no productive work (29 CFR 785.27).

## Training deadlines by state and broker

Most programs want training done before the first ride. A few give more time. These rules were current in September 2026.

| Program | Before the first ride | After hire and renewals |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia fee-for-service (DMAS, updated May 26, 2026) | The broker's driver training program for every driver and attendant, and a criminal background check with a sex offender registry search | A program ID badge after training, unless the driver wears a uniform shirt showing a name |
| MTM Health, Virginia (handbook approved August 10, 2026) | PASS, HIPAA, and defensive driving, plus first aid and wheelchair securement where they apply, and MTM's modules on compliance, passenger assistance, securement, cultural competency, sexual harassment, safety, mandatory reporting, and its trip and credential systems | Training renewed before any credential expires |
| MTM Health standard agreement (Pennsylvania copy, January 1, 2023) | Fully credentialed, with your own driver orientation and training program covering fraud, waste, and abuse and HIPAA | Criminal background check and 3-year driving record every year |
| MTM Health, Rhode Island (updated July 1, 2026) | Fraud, waste, and abuse training, a pre-employment drug test, and a criminal check through the Rhode Island Bureau of Criminal Identification, or the National Crime Information Center for drivers who have lived in the state less than five years | Training and background check every year. Random drug tests cover more than 25 percent of drivers a year. |
| Modivcare (compliance attestation, 2025 version) | PASS wheelchair certificate, first aid and CPR, defensive driving, drug screen, driving record, and background check, per its driver requirements page | Code of conduct and compliance training within 30 days of hire, then every year. Keep records at least 10 years. |
| Georgia (DCH manual, July 1, 2026) | Driver training with passenger assistance, safety and sensitivity, and defensive driving, plus first aid and spill kit training | The same manual gives a driver not yet trained 90 days from assignment, so confirm the deadline with your broker |
| Louisiana (manual section 10.3, issued July 14, 2025) | Defensive driving of at least 4 hours, in-person CPR, child passenger restraints, PASS and securement, and HIPAA. A yearly criminal history check and a five-panel drug screen, with results sent straight to the broker. | Defensive driving every 3 years. PASS and securement every 2 years. |
| Minnesota (Rules 8840.5910) | Orientation, two-way radio or phone use, a ramp, lift, and securement demonstration, emergency steps with the extinguisher and triangles, the daily inspection, the body fluids kit, and a behind-the-wheel evaluation | Within 45 days: 4 hours of first aid, 4 hours of defensive driving, 4 hours of abuse prevention, and passenger assistance. Refreshers every 3 years. |
| Texas Medicaid health plans (UMCM 16.4, effective August 1, 2021) | State and national sex offender registry checks and federal and state exclusion screening before the hire date | Within 30 days of hire: passenger assistance, passenger safety, lifts, tie-downs, and child seats, defensive driving, and conduct. Fraud, waste, and abuse within 90 days. |
| Verida (provider training page, as of September 2026) | First aid, CPR, defensive driving, passenger sensitivity and customer service, spill kit, proper lifting, wheelchair securement, and driver orientation | Owners attend Verida's provider orientation after vehicles pass inspection and drivers finish training |

Where two deadlines differ, the earlier one wins. The simple rule is to finish every course before the first solo ride. PASS certification from the Community Transportation Association of America is valid for two years, so its renewal date goes in Part 4 now. The course-by-course plan is in [NEMT driver training](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-driver-training/), and the driver training log records in-house sessions.

## Getting each broker and state to approve the driver

Approval is its own step, and the driver is not ready until it is done.

**Broker rosters.** Every broker keeps a list of drivers it has approved. MTM Health's Virginia roster records each driver's name, date of birth, Social Security number or ID, address, and phone numbers, the dates of PASS, HIPAA, defensive driving, first aid, and securement training, the license expiration date, and the dates of the last background check, drug screen, and driving record review. Out-of-date documents can cost you trip volume, a performance improvement plan, payment for trips by expired or unapproved drivers, or the renewal of your contract.

**The cost of skipping it.** MTM Health's Virginia handbook scores use of a driver never credentialed in its system as a Level 3 infraction, 3 points per instance, which can bring an immediate suspension of at least 5 days. A driver seen without an MTM Health name tag costs 1 point. Points last a year. At 3 points your access to its trip marketplace is suspended until the points are removed, and at 10 points you are terminated from its network. In Texas, services by anyone not eligible under the health plan contract are subject to recoupment.

**Badges.** MTM Health's standard agreement requires a picture ID badge with the driver's name and your company name. Virginia's broker issues a NEMT program ID badge once a driver completes its training, for drivers without a uniform shirt showing a name.

**New providers.** Verida's credentialing starts with a driver list and vehicle list, then driver credentials, criminal background checks, and current drug screens for all owners and drivers, then vehicle inspections and driver training. For brokers you already work with, ask provider relations how to add a driver and how long review takes. See [NEMT broker credentialing](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-broker-credentialing/) and the broker pages for [MTM Health](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/mtm-health/), [Modivcare](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/modivcare/), and [Verida](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/verida/).

**Minnesota state enrollment.** Minnesota requires every NEMT driver to be individually enrolled with the Department of Human Services and named on the claim as the person who gave the ride (Minnesota Statutes 256B.0625, subdivision 17). Before a driver starts, you start a background study through the state's NETStudy system and wait for notice that the driver is not disqualified (Minnesota Statutes 174.30, subdivision 10). You also review the license, driving record, and medical examiner's certificate (Minnesota Rules 8840.5900). To enroll the driver, use the MHCP Individual Provider Enrollment Application, DHS-4016 (revised August 2025), or the state's online enrollment portal. Choose the Transportation Driver record type, enter the background study number, and list your company under group affiliation. Drivers do not need their own NPI: MHCP assigns each one a Unique Minnesota Provider Identifier (UMPI). The paper form goes by fax to 651-431-7462.

## Ride-alongs and the solo sign-off

No federal rule sets a number of ride-alongs, but the sign-off is where you catch what a class cannot. Minnesota requires a behind-the-wheel evaluation before a driver's first ride, covering defensive driving, merging, lane changes, turns, backing, railroad crossings, and parking. Ask each broker in writing whether a trainee may ride along on member trips. If not, run practice routes without riders.

Ride along until the trainer has seen every vehicle type and level of service the driver will handle. Watch for the points brokers check:

1. **Arrival.** Virginia requires drivers to identify themselves, show ID, and announce themselves at the door when the pickup is not curbside.
2. **Level of service.** Virginia requires the assistance shown on the manifest: curb-to-curb, door-to-door, or hand-to-hand.
3. **Securement.** Every wheelchair and rider secured, and every seat belt fastened, before the van moves. Use the [wheelchair securement checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/wheelchair-securement-checklist/).
4. **Driving.** No phone use or headphones while the van moves, as Virginia and MTM Health require.
5. **Drop-off.** Virginia and Georgia require the driver to confirm the rider is safely inside before leaving.
6. **Paperwork.** Times, odometer readings, and signatures entered the way your broker wants. See [NEMT trip documentation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-trip-documentation/).

The driver ride-along checklist scores each trip. When Part 7 is signed, copy every renewal date into the driver file so the first yearly recheck is not missed.

## Mistakes that cost trips and payments

- **Scheduling before approval.** Trips by a driver the broker never credentialed can go unpaid, and MTM Health's Virginia handbook puts it in its most serious infraction level.
- **Checks in the wrong order.** Medical questions and alcohol tests must wait for a conditional offer. Ordering paid checks after the offer also means you pay only for people you plan to hire.
- **Background check permission buried in the application.** The FTC requires a stand-alone notice.
- **A late Form I-9.** Section 2 is due within 3 business days of the first day of paid work.
- **Training done but not proven.** Modivcare asks for training records kept at least 10 years, and MTM Health wants training documents in each driver's file.
- **A missed hepatitis B offer.** Where the OSHA standard applies, the offer is due within 10 working days of initial assignment.
- **No renewal dates.** Exclusion searches run monthly, and many background checks and driving records every year. Track them in the [driver qualification file checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-driver-file-checklist/).

## Frequently asked questions

### How long does it take to onboard a NEMT driver?

Plan around the steps you do not control: the background check results and each broker's approval. Minnesota's rules show the scale of the classes for a wheelchair driver: orientation and a behind-the-wheel evaluation before the first ride, then about 20 hours within 45 days (4 hours of first aid, 4 of defensive driving, 4 of abuse prevention, and 8 of passenger assistance). Ask each broker how long its driver approval takes.

### Can a new driver take Medicaid trips while still in training?

Not alone. MTM Health's standard agreement, in the January 1, 2023 version Pennsylvania posts, bars any driver from its trips until fully credentialed. Virginia requires the broker's driver training before a driver carries any member, and Louisiana requires its courses before any rides. A few programs allow later deadlines, such as 30 days from hire for Texas health plans. Ask your broker in writing whether a trainee may ride along on member trips.

### What paperwork does a new NEMT driver fill out on the first day?

An employee completes Form I-9 Section 1 by the first day of paid work, and you complete Section 2 within 3 business days. Add Form W-4, any state withholding form, direct deposit and emergency contact forms, and signed copies of your handbook, code of conduct, drug and alcohol policy, and confidentiality agreement. A contractor gives you Form W-9 instead of a W-4. Send your state's new hire report within 20 days.

### Do I have to register each new driver with the broker or the state?

With every broker, yes. Brokers keep a roster of approved drivers. MTM Health's Virginia roster lists each driver's training dates, license expiration, and last background check, drug test, and driving record review. In states such as Virginia, Georgia, and Louisiana, the broker checks each driver's documents. Minnesota adds a state step: every NEMT driver must be individually enrolled with the Department of Human Services and named on each claim.

### When can I run the background check and drug test?

Order paid checks after a written conditional offer. Under EEOC guidance, a test for illegal drugs is not a medical exam, so the ADA allows it before the offer, but an alcohol test is medical and must wait. Before a screening company runs any check, give the driver a stand-alone written notice and get written permission, as the FTC requires. Check your state and city rules on criminal history questions too.

### Do I have to pay drivers for onboarding training?

For employees, generally yes. Under federal wage rules, training counts as work time unless it is outside regular hours, truly voluntary, not directly related to the job, and involves no productive work (29 CFR 785.27). Training your broker requires fails that test. OSHA also requires bloodborne pathogens training, where it applies, at no cost to the employee and during working hours.

## Official resources

- [FTC: What employers must do before and after a background check](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/using-consumer-reports-what-employers-need-know)
- [HHS OIG: Search the exclusion list (LEIE)](https://exclusions.oig.hhs.gov/)
- [SAM.gov: Search federal exclusions](https://sam.gov/content/exclusions)
- [National Sex Offender Public Website search](https://www.nsopw.gov/)
- [USCIS: Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification](https://www.uscis.gov/i-9)
- [IRS: Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Certificate](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4)
- [eCFR: 29 CFR 1910.1030, OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1910.1030)
- [Virginia DMAS: NEMT driver, attendant, and vehicle requirements](https://www.dmas.virginia.gov/media/1sdhbgj4/dmas-nemt-driver-attendant-and-vehicle-requirements-05-26-2026.pdf)
- [Minnesota DHS: Individual Provider Enrollment Application (DHS-4016), used to enroll NEMT drivers](https://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/DHS-4016-ENG)
- [CTAA: PASS driver certification](https://ctaa.org/pass-online/)