NEMT driver training: required courses, a training calendar, and records to keep
NEMT drivers need training from three sources. Federal ADA rules require staff trained to proficiency on equipment and on treating riders with disabilities respectfully, and HIPAA requires privacy or security training, depending on your role. States and brokers name the courses: CTAA PASS, defensive driving, first aid and CPR, wheelchair securement, and fraud, waste and abuse. Oregon, for example, requires defensive driving and PASS at least every three years.
On this page
Where training requirements come from
Driver training in NEMT is not one course. It is a stack of requirements from federal law, your state, and each broker, and the strictest one sets your schedule.
| Source | What it requires |
|---|---|
| ADA, 49 CFR 37.173 | Personnel “trained to proficiency” on the vehicle and its equipment, and on assisting riders with disabilities in a respectful and courteous way |
| HIPAA, 45 CFR 164.530(b) and 164.308(a)(5) | For covered entities, privacy training for every workforce member, new hires within a reasonable time, and retraining after material policy changes. For covered entities and business associates, a security awareness program |
| OSHA | New York requires vehicles stocked with personal protective equipment for drivers under OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens and respiratory protection standards |
| State Medicaid program | Named courses and deadlines, such as PASS before the first trip in Virginia |
| Broker contract | Compliance courses at hire and every year, with rosters kept on file |
The federal rules set the goal. The state and broker rules name the courses and the dates, so start there.
Two state examples
Virginia. Every NEMT driver, attendant, taxi driver, and volunteer driver must complete and pass PASS training before transporting any member. A provider may run its own program only with written approval from the broker that it meets or exceeds the state’s training requirements. Stretcher van crews also need approved training in first aid, bloodborne pathogens, and stretcher transfers.
Oregon. CareOregon’s manual lists the minimum training the Oregon Health Authority requires:
- NEMT services, reporting forms, vehicle operation, fraud and abuse reporting, and the local service area
- National Safety Council Defensive Driving or equivalent, within three months of hire and at least every three years
- Red Cross-approved first aid, CPR, and blood spill procedures, or equivalent, before driving any member
- The Passenger Service and Safety course or equivalent, within three months of hire and at least every three years, including wheelchair securement for van drivers
- Emergency procedures for a rider who needs care during the ride
- State driving and transportation laws
CareOregon adds vehicle orientation and a road test on the driver’s vehicle, briefings on program changes, and cultural responsiveness training.
Broker training requirements
Brokers run their own compliance courses and expect proof. Modivcare’s 2025 attestation has providers certify that all owners and drivers completed its code of conduct, its transportation provider compliance training, and its accident and incident reporting instructions. The compliance training covers Medicare and Medicaid general compliance and fraud, waste and abuse, HIPAA privacy and security, the Americans with Disabilities Act, health, safety and welfare, and cultural competency. North Carolina providers also take CTAA’s course on passengers who have experienced trauma. New employees must finish within 30 days of hire.
MTM’s provider handbook lists accident and incident reporting, credentialing, claims, its provider portal, fraud, waste and abuse with HIPAA, and cultural competency. Our HIPAA for NEMT guide covers what privacy training should include.
PASS certification explained
PASS, the Passenger Assistance, Safety and Sensitivity program from the Community Transportation Association of America, is the course Virginia requires by name, and Oregon requires it or an equivalent. CTAA says more than 150,000 drivers are PASS certified.
| PASS element | What it covers | Format |
|---|---|---|
| PASS Basic | Safety and sensitivity; qualifies drivers for ambulatory riders | Seven-module online course, 80 percent passing score on each module |
| Full PASS | Lift operating procedures and wheelchair and occupant securement | In person under a PASS trainer, within 90 days of PASS Basic, on a lift-equipped body-on-chassis vehicle or a ramp minivan |
| PASS Trainer | Authorizes in-house trainers | Two-day train-the-trainer course |
Per CTAA’s handbook updated January 30, 2024, driver recognition is valid for two years and trainer certification for three years. There is a 90-day grace period to recertify after a certificate expires. Some states set their own interval, as Oregon does with its three-year retraining rule, so track both.
The core course list
Drivers in these programs end up with a similar core set. This table shows who requires each course in the programs above, and when.
| Course | Who requires it | When |
|---|---|---|
| PASS Basic | Virginia, for every driver; Oregon | Before the first trip in Virginia, within three months of hire in Oregon |
| Full PASS wheelchair securement | Drivers of wheelchair vehicles; Oregon requires the securement portion for van drivers | Within 90 days of PASS Basic, under CTAA rules |
| Defensive driving | Oregon | Within three months of hire, then every three years |
| First aid, CPR, and blood spill | Oregon; Virginia stretcher crews | Before driving |
| HIPAA privacy and security | HIPAA rule; Modivcare and MTM | At hire, and yearly under Modivcare |
| Fraud, waste and abuse | Modivcare and MTM | Within 30 days of hire under Modivcare, then yearly |
| ADA and disability sensitivity | ADA training rule; Modivcare | At hire, and yearly under Modivcare |
| Accident and incident reporting | Modivcare and MTM | At hire and yearly |
| Vehicle orientation and road test | Oregon, through CareOregon | Before driving each vehicle type |
A training calendar you can run
Put every driver on the same calendar so nothing depends on memory.
- Before the first trip. PASS Basic, first aid and CPR where required, vehicle orientation and road test, HIPAA and code of conduct, ride-along with an experienced driver.
- First 30 days. Broker compliance training, including fraud, waste and abuse, ADA, and incident reporting.
- First 90 days. Full PASS for wheelchair drivers, and defensive driving where required.
- Every year. Broker compliance refreshers and HIPAA.
- Every two to three years. PASS and defensive driving renewals, following the stricter of CTAA’s validity period and your state’s rule.
- After any incident or policy change. Targeted retraining, documented.
What hands-on training should cover
Certificates prove attendance. Ride-alongs build skill. Cover these on real vehicles:
- Securement. Four-point tie-downs, belt placement, and the mistakes that fail in a crash, using the Ride Safe method in our wheelchair securement guide.
- Lift and ramp operation. Deploying, stowing, the interlock, and the manual backup.
- Assistance levels. Curb-to-curb, door-to-door, and hand-to-hand help as shown on the manifest, which Virginia requires drivers to provide.
- No-shows. Your program’s wait rule. New York requires waiting at least 15 minutes after the scheduled pickup time and documenting every no-show.
- Incidents. The steps to take if a rider becomes ill, and how fast to report. New York requires reporting accidents and incidents to the broker within 48 hours.
- Phone rules. Virginia bans phone use, including texting, and headphones while the vehicle is moving.
Keep records an auditor will accept
Training you cannot prove did not happen. For each course, keep a roster or certificate with the driver’s name, the course, the completion date, and a signature. Modivcare supplies a training roster form for its attestation. Keep records for the longest period that applies to you: six years for HIPAA documentation, and at least 10 years for Modivcare training records. The driver onboarding checklist has a place for each date.
Where HealthRide helps
Post a policy change as an announcement in HealthRide team chat, and read receipts show which drivers have seen it. HealthRide also sends reminders before a driver’s credentials expire, and flags an expired credential before a trip is assigned. New drivers learn one simple driver app instead of paper manifests.
Frequently asked questions
- What is PASS certification for NEMT drivers?
- PASS is the Community Transportation Association of America's Passenger Assistance, Safety and Sensitivity program. PASS Basic is a seven-module online course on safety and sensitivity that qualifies a driver for ambulatory riders. Full PASS adds lift operation and wheelchair and occupant securement, taught in person by a PASS trainer on the kind of vehicle the driver will use.
- How long does PASS certification last?
- CTAA's PASS program handbook, updated January 2024, says driver recognition is valid for two years and trainer certification for three. Holders have a 90-day grace period after expiry to recertify. Your state can set its own retraining schedule, so check it: Oregon requires PASS within three months of hire and at least every three years.
- Do NEMT drivers need CPR certification?
- Many programs require it. Oregon requires Red Cross-approved first aid, CPR, and blood spill training, or an equivalent, before a driver carries any member. Virginia requires stretcher van crews to complete approved training in first aid and bloodborne pathogens. Check your state manual and broker contract for the exact courses.
- Is online training enough for wheelchair drivers?
- Not for securement. PASS Basic is online, but CTAA requires the wheelchair securement part of Full PASS to be taught in person under a PASS trainer, using the lift or ramp vehicle the driver will operate. Drivers who only carry ambulatory riders do not need the wheelchair portion unless their duties change.
- How long should I keep driver training records?
- Keep them for the longest period any rule or contract requires. HIPAA requires you to keep its required documentation, including training records, for six years. Modivcare asks providers to keep training rosters and certificates for at least 10 years and to produce them on request.
