Last week, Grove Transit ’s President, Dan Reid, joined transportation leaders from across the country at The Transportation Alliance (TTA) Open House, hosted at Driverge Vehicle Innovations in Akron, Ohio. The two-day event brought together operators, vendors, and industry experts for hands-on learning, thoughtful discussion, and—of course—some much-needed networking. A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Accessible Vehicle Innovation One of the highlights of the event was an exclusive tour of Driverge ’s vehicle conversion plant, led by President Mark Minatel. The group got a rare behind-the-scenes look at the development process of a new ADA-compliant conversion built on the Toyota Sienna platform. From manufacturing details to design challenges, it was a true “peek behind the curtain” into how accessible vehicles are built from the ground up—something few operators get to experience firsthand. Operators in the Driver’s Seat: Collaborative Conversations After the tour, Jim Cermak hosted a roundtable with members of the Driverge management team. This wasn’t just a sit-and-listen session—operators like Dan had the opportunity to share real-world feedback on vehicle features that could make a difference in everyday service. Lesli Paoletti, Driverge’s Product Marketing Manager, took detailed notes as operators explained what works, what doesn’t, and what’s needed in future vehicle builds. Jim also shared driver training best practices, offering practical strategies that providers can bring home to improve service and safety across the board. Focus on Safety, Insurance & Securement Systems During lunch, James Hawks of AMF Bruns took the floor to present on securement system innovations—an often-overlooked, but critical component of ADA transportation. His insights into rider safety, product updates, and user-friendly features sparked great conversations among attendees. Later that day, Dan Reid co-led an insurance and safety roundtable alongside Jessie Coffey of National Interstate Insurance. The session touched on everything from insurance trends to loss control best practices, giving providers actionable tips to strengthen their operations. Big Ideas and Bigger Connections The Open House wasn’t just about products and policy—it was also about people. Attendees included representatives from: • TriStar Transportation • Fox River Taxi (WI) • Ace Taxi • Black & White Transportation • Americab • RideNSafe (Dallas) • RMS (Georgia) • Hope Town Special shoutout to Jeremy Oliver, Ted St. John, Cliff Montemayor, Stone Pinson, Hayes Stills, Devo Bavishi, and Adam Ciganik for sharing stories, asking great questions, and helping move the industry forward. We’re especially looking forward to hearing more about Hope Town at Mobilize in Las Vegas later this year. Wrapping Up with Training & Top Golf After a full day of learning, attendees met up at Top Golf for a little fun and face time with new colleagues. On Wednesday morning, Jim Cermak returned to lead a CTAA Train the Trainer certification session—giving providers a chance to strengthen their own leadership skills in driver education. A Word From Dan Reid Reflecting on the event, Dan shared "As usual, I left the event with a pad full of notes and best practices we're already putting into action at Grove Transit and GoRide . I also left with new colleagues I know I can reach out to if I need advice. These Open Houses always deliver real value. I've never attended one without walking away better informed and better prepared. It's proof that The Transportation Alliance is truly committed to driving value for its members." Special thanks to: • Driverge Vehicle Innovations for their incredible hospitality and insight • AMF Bruns for providing lunch • National Interstate Insurance for sponsoring the insurance discussion • And all the providers who traveled from across the U.S. to make this event so impactful The collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and community spirit shown during this Open House are exactly what move the NEMT industry forward—and we’re proud to be part of it.

"Without NEMT Millions would face challenges in reliably accessing medical care." The threat to Medicaid and NEMT is real and has potentially devastating effects on our healthcare system. Each year more than 100 million NEMT trips are provided through Medicaid, many of these trips taking people to and from life-sustaining medical treatments such as dialysis and chemotherapy. Even the seemingly less crucial trips for routine check-ups or to treat minor illnesses are important because, without NEMT services, many children lack adequate pediatric care, and patients overcrowd emergency rooms for routine medical appointments. Medicaid is vital for millions of Americans, ensuring that low-income individuals, children, seniors, and those with disabilities have access to essential healthcare services. Because NEMT is just a small part of Medicaid services, it can be overlooked. However, NEMT saves lives and improves health outcomes, and can reduce overall healthcare costs. Without it, millions would face immense challenges in reliably accessing medical care, leading to costly consequences for patients and taxpayers alike. The Medical Transportation Access Coalition (MTAC) estimated that NEMT prevents Medicaid from spending an additional $40 billion each year from avoided emergency room visits and hospitalizations. In Florida alone, a Florida State University study determined that this equates to a saving of $11 for every $1 spent on NEMT trips. Another MTAC study found that NEMT saves Medicaid $40 million a month, or $480 a year, for every 30,000 individuals who rely on NEMT for transportation to dialysis, diabetic wound care, and substance abuse disorders. Many individuals accessing NEMT transportation do so because they have no other resources or options for getting to or from medical appointments. Taking away, or significantly curtailing Medicaid NEMT will result in these same individuals missing appointments and then resorting to ambulance rides and emergency room visits. This places a tremendous financial burden on taxpayers and diverts scarce EMT and ER resources to be used on what could have been avoided trips and visits. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that Medicaid spent $3 billion on NEMT trips last year, and when you divide that by the 103 million estimated Medicaid NEMT trips performed each year, it works out to about $30 a trip. These numbers represent significant savings when compared to the estimated cost for an ambulance ride of between $1,200 and $2,500, and/or the cost of an average emergency room visit of $2,000 to $3,000. Further, the problems encountered if NEMT is eliminated, or even curtailed, extends beyond just stretching already scarce resources, but also result in longer wait times due to overcrowded emergency rooms, overworked healthcare providers, and increased medical costs for both insured and uninsured patients. When individuals can engage in even basic preventive care, they can avoid exacerbating chronic conditions. When access to that care is missing, it can result in drastically increased Medicaid expenses over their lifetime. It should go without saying, but it does need to be said, protecting Medicaid and NEMT is not only the right thing to do, it’s a great investment. If you don’t support maintaining Medicaid because it provides much needed services for those in truly in need, then support it because it makes good financial sense. After all, isn’t that what all this talk about cuts and slashing is all about? I can’t think of a single investment where you wouldn’t spend a $1 today if it meant you would save $11 in the next year, so why is Medicaid and NEMT any different? A good investment is a good investment, and investing in Medicaid and NEMT today prevents billions in avoidable healthcare costs tomorrow. If you can’t support Medicaid and NEMT with your heart, do it with your wallet, but the most important thing is to make your voice heard. Let your elected officials know that you want them to make the sound fiscal choice. Make sure they understand that cutting Medicaid funding or reducing and restructuring the program through block grants to the states could threaten this essential service, leading to worse health outcomes for vulnerable populations and increased financial strain on our healthcare system and the economy. People encounter transportation issues every day and we solve those problems.