What is wait time?

Wait time is the time a driver spends stopped and waiting for a rider, either at pickup while the rider gets ready or at the destination while a short appointment is completed. Some contracts pay for wait time in 15-minute increments after a free threshold (often 15 to 30 minutes); many broker contracts pay nothing and expect the driver to leave and return.

Why wait time matters for NEMT

Unpaid wait time is the silent margin killer in NEMT. A driver stuck 40 minutes at a dialysis clinic could have completed another billable leg. Know your contract's wait-time rules, train drivers to document arrival and departure times with GPS timestamps, and set dispatch policies for when to wait versus release and return. Where wait time is billable, bill it every time; it is frequently left off claims.

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