NEMT software overview

United States · California · Local Guide

California NEMT Software for Medi-Cal Transportation Providers

California NEMT software should support the way Medi-Cal transportation actually works: managed-care members request NEMT through their Medi-Cal health plan, while Fee-for-Service members follow the DHCS transportation process. ZeitRide connects scheduling, live dispatch, routing, driver workflows, GPS-aware trip activity, documentation, and billing workflows in one platform for $49 per vehicle per month. Providers remain responsible for following the current DHCS, managed-care plan, transportation-vendor, and contract requirements that apply to their trips.

Running a California NEMT operation means managing more than routes. Providers may serve Medi-Cal managed-care trips, Fee-for-Service transportation, private-pay work, recurring facility transportation, and other trip sources — while operating across some of the country's most demanding urban and rural transportation environments.

California Medi-Cal does not use one universal broker workflow for every member. DHCS directs managed-care members to their Medi-Cal managed care plan for NEMT, while Fee-for-Service members and representatives use the DHCS transportation process. A managed-care plan may work with transportation providers or brokers, but the exact arrangement depends on the plan and contract.

ZeitRide brings California NEMT scheduling software, live dispatch, AI-assisted routing, driver workflows, GPS-aware trip activity, electronic signatures, reporting, audit history, and billing workflows into one connected platform. It helps providers organize the operational record around each trip without claiming that one software configuration automatically satisfies every Medi-Cal plan, payer, or transportation contract.

58

California Counties

2

Medi-Cal Delivery Paths: Managed Care + FFS

$49

Per Vehicle / Month

2025

VSSI Enrollment Requirement Updated

What ZeitRide's California NEMT Software Does

California NEMT Dispatch & Scheduling

ZeitRide keeps recurring transportation, one-time trips, driver assignments, route planning, and same-day dispatch changes in one operational workflow. Whether your fleet is managing LA County and Inland Empire density, Bay Area congestion, San Diego trips, or longer Central Valley routes, dispatchers can manage the day without rebuilding schedules across spreadsheets, phone calls, and separate systems.

Medi-Cal Managed Care & FFS Workflows

California Medi-Cal transportation follows different paths depending on member coverage. Managed-care members request NEMT through their Medi-Cal health plan, while Fee-for-Service members use the DHCS transportation process. ZeitRide helps your team organize trip intake, scheduling, driver activity, documentation, and billing-oriented records while you continue to follow the requirements of the applicable DHCS or managed-care workflow.

Trip Documentation & Authorization Support

ZeitRide can keep scheduled trip information, driver and vehicle context, pickup and drop-off timestamps, GPS-aware events, electronic signatures, notes, forms, and trip history connected to the transportation record. These tools can support Medi-Cal and health-plan documentation workflows, but they do not replace required authorizations, Physician Certification Statements, plan rules, or provider contracts.

California NEMT Billing Software

Completed trip information stays connected to billing-oriented records so your team can review what was scheduled, what the driver reported, and what documentation was captured before billing. The applicable Medi-Cal managed-care plan, Fee-for-Service process, payer, or transportation contract still determines the actual authorization, claim, invoice, and submission requirements.

Driver & Vehicle Documentation

California NEMT providers have state enrollment, driver, vehicle, and safety obligations that software cannot replace. ZeitRide helps teams organize driver records, vehicle information, inspections, documents, expiration dates, and audit history. For applicable litter-van and wheelchair-van NEMT enrollment applications, DHCS has required a valid Vehicle Safety Systems Inspection certificate since March 27, 2025.

Routing Across California's Different Geographies

California NEMT routing is not one operating problem. LA County and the Inland Empire can mean dense schedules and traffic-driven changes, while Central Valley and rural Northern California trips can involve longer distances and less consistent cellular coverage. ZeitRide combines AI-assisted routing, live dispatch, and an iOS and Android driver app with offline GPS support for that mixed environment.

Built for Every Type of California NEMT Provider

NEMT solutions from ZeitRide scale from solo operators to statewide fleets.

Medi-Cal Managed-Care Providers

Manage plan-assigned transportation while keeping dispatch, drivers, trip documentation, and billing workflows connected.

Fee-for-Service NEMT Providers

Organize transportation operations while following the current DHCS authorization and billing process.

Wheelchair & Litter Van Providers

Keep vehicle, driver, inspection, trip, and documentation records organized around specialized transportation services.

Multi-County California Fleets

Coordinate high-density metro schedules and longer Central Valley or rural routes from one operational platform.

Nationwide platform

California's Medi-Cal transportation structure should not be described as one statewide broker network. DHCS directs members enrolled in a Medi-Cal managed care plan to contact their plan for NEMT. Managed-care plans may contract with transportation providers or brokers, so the actual transportation network can vary by health plan, service area, and current contract.

Fee-for-Service Medi-Cal follows a different path. DHCS directs FFS members or their representatives through the department's transportation-request process, including confirmation of the medical need for NEMT. Providers should therefore distinguish FFS transportation from managed-care trip workflows instead of treating both as one broker process.

For managed-care NEMT, the required mode of transportation is tied to medical necessity and the applicable Physician Certification Statement process. DHCS guidance places responsibility on the managed-care plan for its NEMT program even when transportation functions involve contracted brokers or providers. ZeitRide can support the operational record, but it does not approve the member's transportation mode or replace the plan's authorization process.

California also updated NEMT provider enrollment requirements for applicable litter-van and wheelchair-van providers. For applications received on or after March 27, 2025, DHCS requires a valid Vehicle Safety Systems Inspection certificate issued through the Bureau of Automotive Repair rather than the former brake-and-light certificate.

California geography creates very different dispatch environments. Los Angeles County, the Inland Empire, Bay Area, and San Diego can involve high trip density and traffic-sensitive pickup windows, while Central Valley and rural Northern California fleets may manage longer transportation legs and less consistent connectivity. California NEMT dispatch software should support both operating patterns without requiring separate systems.

ZeitRide is a nationwide NEMT software platform, not DHCS, a Medi-Cal managed care plan, or a transportation broker. This California page explains how the software can support scheduling, dispatch, routing, documentation, and billing workflows around the transportation requirements providers already operate under.

Explore capabilities

Frequently asked questions

How does Medi-Cal NEMT work in California?

California Medi-Cal NEMT depends on the member's coverage. Members enrolled in a Medi-Cal managed care plan request NEMT through their health plan. Fee-for-Service members or their representatives use the DHCS transportation process. The exact transportation provider, broker, authorization, documentation, and billing workflow can therefore differ by plan or program.

Does California use one statewide NEMT broker?

No single broker should be described as the statewide NEMT broker for every California Medi-Cal member. DHCS directs managed-care members to their Medi-Cal health plan, and those plans may use contracted transportation providers or brokers. Fee-for-Service members follow the DHCS transportation process. Providers should verify the current arrangement for each health plan or contract they serve.

Can ZeitRide support California Medi-Cal managed-care trips?

ZeitRide can support the operational workflow around managed-care transportation through scheduling, dispatch, routing, driver activity, GPS-aware trip records, documentation, reporting, and billing-oriented records. The exact trip-import, broker, plan, API, or billing connection depends on the provider's specific transportation relationship and should be confirmed before implementation.

How does Fee-for-Service NEMT work in California?

For Medi-Cal Fee-for-Service NEMT, DHCS directs members or their representatives through the department's transportation-request process. NEMT requires medical necessity and the applicable authorization or prescription process. Transportation providers should follow current DHCS enrollment, authorization, documentation, and billing requirements for the services they perform.

What is the difference between NEMT and NMT in Medi-Cal?

DHCS describes NEMT as medically necessary transportation such as ambulance, wheelchair van, or litter van for members who cannot use ordinary public or private transportation. NMT is transportation such as passenger vehicles, taxis, public transit, or other non-medical modes for eligible members who do not have another way to reach covered services.

Does California require EVV for every NEMT trip?

Providers should not assume that the federal Electronic Visit Verification mandate automatically applies to every California NEMT trip. California NEMT providers must instead follow the transportation authorization, documentation, trip-verification, managed-care plan, FFS, payer, and contract requirements that apply to their services. ZeitRide can capture GPS-aware events, timestamps, signatures, and trip history to support those workflows.

What changed for California NEMT provider enrollment in 2025?

DHCS updated enrollment requirements for applicable NEMT providers using litter vans or wheelchair vans. For applications received on or after March 27, 2025, providers must submit a valid Vehicle Safety Systems Inspection certificate issued through the Bureau of Automotive Repair instead of the former standard brake-and-light certificate.

Can ZeitRide handle both Los Angeles and rural California NEMT routes?

Yes. ZeitRide combines scheduling, live dispatch, AI-assisted routing, GPS-aware driver activity, and offline driver workflows in one platform. That supports dense operating areas such as Los Angeles County, the Inland Empire, Bay Area, and San Diego as well as longer Central Valley and rural Northern California routes.

How much does ZeitRide cost for a California NEMT fleet?

ZeitRide's core software costs $49 per active vehicle per month. The plan includes unlimited trips, dispatchers and staff seats, scheduling, routing, live dispatch, the driver app, reporting, billing workflows, custom forms, and e-signatures. Optional products such as the ZeitRide dash cam are priced separately.

Does ZeitRide only serve California?

No. ZeitRide serves NEMT providers across the United States. This page focuses specifically on California Medi-Cal transportation, managed-care and Fee-for-Service workflows, provider documentation considerations, and the operating conditions California fleets manage.