Lessons from the Road: Mohamed Hamed’s Playbook for Surviving and Growing in NEMT

The non-emergency medical transportation industry is undergoing a lot of change. Rising operating and insurance costs and increasing requirements from brokers and healthcare partners are two of the many things causing NEMT transportation providers to rethink how they run their businesses. Few people understand those realities better than Mohamed Hamed, owner of Sunway Trans in Colorado.

We recently sat down with Mohamed to discuss his career from a solo driver to company owner and the lessons he’s learned over his 20+ years in the transportation business. Although Sunway Trans launched this year, Mohamed’s experience goes back much further. He’s spent years driving and also managing entire operations, and he brings a practical perspective from that experience.

Many topics came up as we talked, but three stood out as valuable for transportation providers looking to build strong, successful businesses.

Rates and drivers

The first was the growing pressure created by reduced reimbursement rates from state and federal payers. Mohamed spoke candidly about how reductions in both the base trip and mileage rates have affected providers like him. As his other business costs such as insurance continue to go up, lower reimbursement rates make it harder for him to recruit and keep drivers. Many drivers enter the industry only to discover that the economics are more challenging than they thought. The result for operators like Mohamed is higher turnover and an increased reliance on part-time drivers. For him, the ability to adapt to these changing financial realities has become the most important challenge of modern NEMT operations.

Moving to modern software

The second theme was technology. Like many long-time operators, Mohamed remembers when trip scheduling and driver assignments were managed with pen and paper, and when monitoring was done with Google Maps and a cell phone. Today, he considers a full-service software platform an essential part of running his transportation company. He’s actually one of Naveera’s customers. Transitioning to Naveera required some adjustment but it went smoothly for him and his drivers, and the benefits quickly became obvious. Naveera gives him better visibility into his operation and it makes trip assignments and driver monitoring much easier. He can operate more effectively and spend less time dealing with administrative tasks. In an increasingly competitive market, Mohamed views a reliable software platform like Naveera not as a luxury, but as a necessity.

Advice for new operators

Finally, we asked Mohamed to share advice for new operators entering the NEMT industry. His message was simple: preparation matters. They need enough money to get dependable, clean vehicles and insurance, but just as important, they have to focus on customer service. It’s critical to invest in reliable drivers and build strong relationships with your customers. According to Mohamed, too many companies enter the industry without a solid foundation and they struggle as a result.

Success in NEMT doesn’t really come from any single action you take. It is built through persistence, good management, the right tools, and a focus on quality customer service. We at Naveera appreciate that Mohamed Hamed took the time to talk with us, and we’re very grateful that he is also a satisfied customer.