Transportation service for seniors start up

I am an occupational therapist in a skilled nursing home. Every day I see patients going to appointments, having to pay >$100 out of pocket for a 3-mile ride down the street to their ortho appointments. Mind you, these are patients that are able to walk with assistance, transfer, are not on IV's or dealing with more complex health problems but require transportation with a wheelchair for increased safety.

I've been tossing around the idea of a starting a private service for scenarios like this. There was a lady that had her own business for years, that my patients would use and she would charge 1/2 the cost of a standard "chair car" as we call them.

I have never owned a business of any kind, never had a side gig or anything of the sort. I've looked up insurance policies etc but I was wondering if anyone on here has ventured into a similar type of business and what is needed/advice to get the wheels in motion if I were to pursue this.
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APLMAN99
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12498
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4/1/2008
Location
Tualatin, OR, USA
Fantasy
3/24/2019 5:41pm
$100? Holy crap!

Some silly communists in our area came up with a silly idea of starting a public transit service for the elderly and disabled of the community and pick them up at their doorstep and deliver them to their destination for the price of regular bus fare. I think if you are staying “in town” that a whopping $1 (each way, though, so maybe it’s not such a great deal). I think traveling to appointments between Chelan and Wenatchee (45 miles or so each way) is a total of $5.

Our seniors should be outraged that they are being ripped off by this infringement on their ability to pay free market prices for their essential transportation.
2
MotoMo165
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1415
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4/3/2014
Location
USA
3/24/2019 5:53pm
Starting reading about LLCs and how to form one. Private services as in a business. You’re need some sort of business insurance to cover you. It’s a one time fee per year and depends on the type of company you want to operate.
Yours may be higher since your getting in a vehicle with people.
tobias56
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67
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12/14/2017
Location
Hinesville, GA, USA
3/24/2019 8:44pm
That would be a good idea. You just have to justify an equal or better service for less.
sk846
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13
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2/24/2019
Location
Northwest, IN, USA
3/25/2019 6:34am
https://www.uber.com/newsroom/uber-health/

Check that out.

The biggest problem we face is our contractors being able to staff adequately because demand fluctuates greatly every day. I don’t work in transportation anymore but I know there has to be money to be made.

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tobias56
Posts
67
Joined
12/14/2017
Location
Hinesville, GA, USA
3/25/2019 3:56pm
sk846 wrote:
https://www.uber.com/newsroom/uber-health/ Check that out. The biggest problem we face is our contractors being able to staff adequately because demand fluctuates greatly every day. I don’t work...
https://www.uber.com/newsroom/uber-health/

Check that out.

The biggest problem we face is our contractors being able to staff adequately because demand fluctuates greatly every day. I don’t work in transportation anymore but I know there has to be money to be made.
It really seems a tough business as the number of customers varies and the competition is high.

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