What is a stretcher van?

A stretcher van is a passenger van fitted with a floor-mounted cot fastener and a wheeled stretcher (gurney) so a rider can be transported lying down. Unlike an ambulance, it carries no medical monitoring or treatment equipment and is staffed by transport crew rather than EMTs, though some states require EMT certification anyway. Interiors usually include seating for an attendant and storage for oxygen if the rider brings their own.

Why stretcher vans matter for NEMT

A stretcher van opens the highest-rate segment of NEMT and hospital discharge and hospice referrals that wheelchair-only providers cannot take. Before purchase, check your state's licensing: some regulate stretcher vans as ambulances, which changes staffing, equipment and inspection requirements entirely. Plan for a two-person crew on every stretcher trip.

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