Winter checklist for NEMT vans: tires, lifts in the cold, and a kit for stranded riders

How to use this checklist

Winter work on a NEMT van happens in three places: the shop in the fall, the lot every cold morning, and the cargo area where the emergency kit rides. This sheet has a part for each, plus a card for the day a van gets stuck.

• Part 1, fall preparation. Done once per van before the first freeze. Minnesota’s equipment rule starts its ice scraper season on October 1, which is a sensible deadline anywhere it snows.
• Part 2, lifts and ramps in ice. Added to the daily lift check from the first frost until spring.
• Part 3, the daily winter pre-trip. Done by the driver every shift while temperatures sit near or below freezing.
• Part 4, the stranded-rider kit. Loaded in the fall and checked monthly.

Whether to run, delay, or cancel trips on a storm day is a separate decision, covered in the bad weather policy guide. This sheet keeps the vans ready for whatever that policy decides.

Part 1: fall preparation

Shop visit

• Coolant strength tested and topped up
• Washer reservoir filled with a winter blend that will not freeze
• Battery load-tested, terminals clean and tight
• Oil grade matches the manual’s cold-weather recommendation
• Heater and defroster at full output, with warm air reaching the rear seats and wheelchair stations
• Brakes and brake fluid inspected
• Exhaust system checked for leaks
• Ignition and starting system checked
• Headlights, tail lights, and hazard flashers working
• Wiper blades replaced if they streak or chatter

The list builds on the fall checks on CDC’s winter storm preparation page (updated December 2, 2025) and adds items riders and brokers care about, such as heat at the rear. The battery deserves the most attention. The federal fuel economy site notes that battery performance falls in the cold, which makes it harder for the alternator to keep the battery charged, and a wheelchair lift draws on that same battery. Heat is a broker standard as well as a comfort issue: Virginia’s fee-for-service requirements (updated May 26, 2026) judge the heater by a reading taken from the back of the van, which must reach 74 degrees, and Minnesota requires every heating unit a van has to work (Minn. R. 8840.5950).

Tires and traction

• Tread measured on every tire, at the most worn point
• Pressure set cold to the value on the door placard
• Winter, all-weather, or M+S tires on all four wheels where your routes need them
• Chains or approved traction devices that fit this tire size, for the drive wheels, stored on board
• Drivers have practiced fitting them in the lot, in daylight
• Studded tires mounted only inside your state’s legal dates
• Spare tire inflated, with the jack and a tire repair kit on board

Colorado’s FAQ adds that mounting only two winter tires weakens their effect, which is why the checklist says all four. Use a tire gauge rather than relying on the dashboard light. The fuel economy site points out that tire pressure drops as the air gets colder, and the federal standard for tire pressure monitors only requires the warning light once a tire is 25 percent below the recommended cold pressure (FMVSS No. 138).

Chain and traction laws on snowy routes

Chain rules are set state by state, and they change the day a storm arrives. These are four examples; check your own state’s transportation department before the season.

Two practical points from Caltrans: chains go on the drive wheels, so drivers need to know whether the van is front- or rear-wheel drive, and the vehicle maker’s specifications say which chains or traction devices the van can take. Confirm your van’s weight rating before counting on California’s R-1 exception, since it stops at 6,000 pounds.

Part 2: lifts, ramps, and boarding in ice

• Snow and ice cleared from the platform or ramp, the doorway threshold, and the door track before deploying
• Landing spot chosen where the ground is clear, or sand or cat litter spread where the platform meets the ground
• Engine running while the lift operates, as the lift manual directs
• Manual backup handle on board, because a battery weakened by cold can leave the lift without power
• Antiskid surface intact; worn antiskid replaced
• Salt and grit washed off the platform with mild detergent and water, then lubricated as the manual says
• Slush dried from the floor at each wheelchair station before a chair is secured
• Ice and grit cleared from the tiedown tracks so the fittings lock in
• Lifts that see heavy winter use booked for service early

Federal rules require lift platforms, ramps, and securement floor areas to be slip resistant (49 CFR 38.23 and 38.25), and a platform glazed with ice no longer is. FTA’s ADA guidance treats clearing snow from ramps and accessible routes as part of keeping accessible features usable, and a van’s platform deserves the same care. BraunAbility’s Century 2 operator’s manual says harsh weather may call for more frequent maintenance and sets the engine running as a condition of operating the lift, and its Millennium 2 manual warns operators to take care in snow and ice and limits cleaning to mild detergent and water. The rest of the daily lift routine is in the wheelchair lift inspection checklist.

Part 3: the daily winter pre-trip

• Roof, windows, mirrors, and lights cleared of snow and ice before the van leaves the lot
• Exhaust pipe free of snow before the engine idles
• Windshield fully clear from the defroster, not just a peephole
• Washer fluid sprays and does not freeze on the glass
• Tire pressures checked with a gauge after a cold night
• Fuel tank close to full
• Heat reaching the back of the van before the first rider boards
• Phone charged, with a car charger on board
• Stranded-rider kit in place (Part 4)

The National Weather Service tells drivers to clear the whole vehicle of ice and snow before a trip, because snow flying off cars causes crashes, and to carry a charged phone and a charger. CDC recommends keeping the tank near full so ice does not form in the tank and fuel lines. On warm-ups, the same federal site advises keeping idling to a minimum; idle only as long as it takes to clear the glass and start the heat toward the rear.

Part 4: the stranded-rider kit

Load it in the fall and check it monthly. The core list follows CDC’s emergency car kit; the NEMT additions account for riders who may be older, less mobile, or dressed for a short ride.

Riders on oxygen or with a fixed dialysis chair time may not be able to wait out a long delay, so a stuck van with one of them aboard needs dispatch involved at once. The full onboard equipment list is in the vehicle safety equipment checklist.

If the van gets stuck with riders on board

1. Phone dispatch, then 911 if any rider is medically at risk or the van is stopped somewhere unsafe.
2. Stay with the van. The National Weather Service warns that people who leave their vehicle in wind-driven snow become disoriented quickly.
3. Run the heat in bursts. NWS advice is roughly 10 minutes of engine time per hour, with a window cracked while the engine runs and the tailpipe kept clear of snow, which guards against carbon monoxide.
4. Be visible. Switch the dome light on after dark while the engine is running, tie a bright cloth to the antenna or a door, and raise the hood once the snow stops falling.
5. Watch every rider. CDC lists older adults with too little clothing or heat among the people most at risk of hypothermia. Its warning signs in adults are shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech, and drowsiness. A body temperature below 95 degrees is a medical emergency.
6. Warm the core. CDC’s steps are to remove wet clothing and warm the center of the body first (chest, neck, head, and groin), with an electric blanket if one is available or skin-to-skin contact under loose, dry layers of blankets or clothing. Warm drinks help if they contain no alcohol; never try to give drinks to someone who is unconscious.

For breakdowns in any season, the guide to a NEMT vehicle breakdown covers moving riders to a backup van and notifying the broker.

Running winter days with HealthRide

On a snow day, one announcement in HealthRide’s team chat reaches every driver at once, and the live map shows where each van is. Drivers check their vans in the app at the start of each shift, so a problem found in the cold lot reaches dispatch before the first pickup, and riders can follow their driver live from a text link.