Service types and vehicle matching
Ambulatory, wheelchair, bariatric and stretcher — and how each one restricts the fleet.
- Written for
- Dispatchers
- Reading time
- 1 min
- Last reviewed
- July 24, 2026
Service type is the single most consequential field on a trip. It decides which vehicles can run it, what the trip costs to serve, and what the payer is billed. It is a hard constraint in scheduling, not a preference.
| Service type | Rider | Requires |
|---|---|---|
| Ambulatory | Walks unaided or with a cane | Any active vehicle |
| Wheelchair | Travels in their own wheelchair | A vehicle with a lift or ramp and securement points |
| Bariatric | Requires higher weight capacity equipment | A vehicle rated for it, and often a second attendant |
| Stretcher | Travels lying down | A stretcher-equipped vehicle and trained staff |
Keeping the fleet's capabilities honest
Matching is only as good as the capability flags on each vehicle. A wheelchair-capable van that was never flagged as one is invisible to the optimizer for wheelchair trips, and the symptom is unassigned trips rather than an error message.
Related
Vehicle types and capabilities
Vehicles & inspections · 1 min · AdministratorsHow capability flags map to service types, and why getting them wrong looks like a shortage of vehicles.
Payers and rate tables
Billing, claims & payers · 1 min · BillingSetting up who pays, and what each service type is worth under their contract.