Policies
Transport Policies
- Everyone in the van must wear vehicle safety restraints, such as seatbelts,
whenever the vehicle is in motion. We provide appropriate vehicle safety
restraints for passengers using mobility devices and will use them in addition to
any positioning restraints that are part of the device itself. - Passengers must be medically stable for transport. We do not provide medical
care or monitoring. Any medical issues during transport will be handled through
emergency services. Wheelchair Express Sioux Falls is not financially
responsible for emergency services that are provided. - All individuals in our vehicles must wear masks that cover the nose and mouth.
Failure to do so may result in refusal of service. - We provide transportation to users of a wide range of mobility devices. We do not
refuse rides based on the type of mobility device a person uses. We recommend
that passengers using 3- or 4-wheel electric mobility scooters consider
transferring to a regular passenger seat for the trip, for their own safety. - We can transport individuals of up to 400 lbs. (180 kg), assuming that their
mobility device is rated for their weight. We may be able to transport an individual
of up to 500 lbs. (225 kg), depending on the availability of appropriate equipment
and the dimensions of the mobility device. Mobility devices must be able to fit on
our lifts or in our vans; we may not be able to accommodate especially long,
wide, or tall devices. Please let us know of any special concerns about weight or
mobility device dimensions when scheduling transport. We may add a charge to
reserve specific equipment to accommodate a mobility device. - Passengers who can sit upright in a wheelchair for the length of the transport are
welcome to ride in a wheelchair. If there is a risk of sliding forward out of the chair
during transport, we can provide lie-down (stretcher/gurney) service or a reclining
wheelchair with extra positioning restraints (Broda Synthesis). If a passenger
slides out of their wheelchair, the ride will be halted, the extent of the problem will
be assessed, and emergency services may be called. Wheelchair Express Sioux
Falls is not financially responsible for emergency services that are provided. - Stretcher (gurney) service is available for individuals of up to 300 lbs. (135 kg).
Stretcher passengers must be secured on the stretcher bed. The Broda reclining
wheelchair is transport-rated (WC-19 compliant) for passengers of up to 350 lbs.
(158 kg). Passengers travelling by stretcher or Broda chair service must transfer
off the equipment at the end of the trip. Please contact the destination facility with
any questions about ability to help transfer. - We can, at the driver’s discretion, help get a person in a wheelchair up and down
steps or steep ramps. Whether we can do so depends on the number and height
of the steps, the weight of the passenger, the size of the wheelchair, and the
driver’s assessment of risk. We reserve the right to call in lift help (at an
additional charge) or to refuse services because of lack of access. If necessary,
the passenger may be required to call emergency services for lift help into or out
of a residence. - Wheelchair Express Sioux Falls assume that there is full access to pickup and
destination locations for stretcher and Broda chair service. We may be able to lift
a passenger on a stretcher up or down a step, depending on the height of the
step, the weight of the passenger, and the driver’s assessment of risk. We
reserve the right to call in lift help (at an additional charge) or to refuse services
because of lack of access. If necessary, the passenger may be required to call
emergency services for lift help at the point where access is limited. - We can provide wheelchairs for transport that suit a wide variety of needs.
Please discuss any special accommodations if we are providing a wheelchair for
transport. Passengers must transfer out of our wheelchairs once the trip is
complete. Passengers riding in our wheelchairs must be able to transfer into and
out of wheelchairs or have transfer help available. - Wheelchair Express Sioux Falls is happy to transport personal effects, up to two
pieces of luggage (or the equivalent) that can sit on the floor of the vehicle,
depending on the amount of space available. Our drivers are not responsible for
loading or unloading heavier items or multiple items. Wheelchair Express Sioux
Falls is not responsible for damage to items during the normal course of
transport. Passengers should find alternative means to move heavy or hard-to-
secure items. Although our drivers try to confirm that all personal property stays
with the passenger, Wheelchair Express Sioux Falls is not responsible for
personal property left in our vehicles. - Please be advised that once transport is underway, drivers will not stop until the
destination is reached unless prior arrangements are made. We do not provide
personal care (for example, helping passengers use the bathroom). Any
bathrooming issues must be addressed by the passenger and/or medical facility
before the trip starts. If a personal attendant (e.g., a family member or nurse) will
accompany the passenger, please let us know when the trip is scheduled.
Scheduling Policies
- Rides after 6:00 p.m. must be scheduled by 3:00 p.m. that day. We cannot
guarantee availability for rides after 6:00, although we will try our best to
accommodate those requests. Rides before 6:00 a.m. the next day (8:00 a.m. on
Sundays) must be scheduled by 8:00 p.m. the day before. - If our driver arrives for a scheduled pickup but the passenger does not board, we
will bill a one-way ride as scheduled as a No Show charge (mileage charges may
also apply). In general, we allow a 10– to 15-minute grace period after the
scheduled pickup time before releasing the driver to the next ride. We reserve
the right, however, to count a trip as a No Show if the passenger is not
immediately available at the scheduled time. - Any ride after 9:00 a.m. that is cancelled less than one hour before the scheduled
pickup time (or one hour before an appropriate leave time from Sioux Falls) will
be billed as a No Show. Rides before 9:00 a.m. must be cancelled before 9:00
p.m. the previous evening to avoid the late cancellation fee. - SMS Trip Reminder Policy. When scheduling rides, you can opt into Wheelchair
Express Sioux Fall’s text-based (SMS) trip reminder service. If you do so, the day
before a scheduled ride you will receive a text reminding you of the trip, with the
option of confirming or cancelling it. Text-based cancellations must occur at
least 12 hours before the scheduled pickup; please call us directly if you need to
cancel within a shorter timeframe. You can unsubscribe from the SMS service at
any time. Just text “STOP” to the short code. After you send the SMS message
“STOP” to us, we will send you an SMS message to confirm that you have been
unsubscribed. After this, you will no longer receive SMS messages from us.
If you want to join again, just tell us you would like to opt in again and we will
start sending SMS messages to you. If you are experiencing issues with the
messaging program you can reply with the keyword HELP for more assistance, or
you can get scheduling help directly at contact@wheelchairexpress-sf.com or
605-338-9529. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
As always, message and data rates may apply for any messages sent to you from
us and to us from you. You will receive a single message the afternoon before the
trip. If you have any questions about your text plan or data plan, it is best to
contact your wireless provider. If you have any questions regarding privacy, we
refer you to our HIPAA Policy.
Payment Policies
- Payment must be made by the time of the ride unless the prior billing
arrangements have been made. Wheelchair Express Sioux Falls reserves the
right to refuse service to anyone with an outstanding balance. - Make checks out to “Wheelchair Express Sioux Falls” with the passenger’s name
and date of service noted. You may also call the office at 605-338-9529 with a
credit/debit card number or may pay online. - Credit/debit cards will be run 30-60 minutes prior to transport. Services cancelled
after the card has been processed will be refunded, less our processing fee
(currently about 3.5%). - Drivers do not carry cash or exact change.
- Wheelchair Express Sioux Falls will assess a 12% annual finance charge on
overdue balances. There is a 30-day grace period before we assess these
charges. - Medicare does not cover our services. If you believe nonemergency
transportation (that is, not an ambulance) is covered by a supplemental policy or
other insurance, contact your agent or insurer to schedule the ride. We would
also be happy to provide you with an invoice marked Paid that you can submit to
insurance for reimbursement. - Wheelchair Express Sioux Falls is not enrolled as a South Dakota Medicaid
transportation provider. Any rides that are not billable to South Dakota Medicaid
are the passenger’s responsibility.
