7 Vans, Facility Contracts: Private-Pay Playbook in Tennessee | NEMT Experts Podcast Episode 111

Bambi CEO Nirav Chheda talks with Joe Hiltz, Operations Manager at Gold Star Transportation in Knoxville, Tennessee about how they've organically grown their NEMT business to 7 vans through facility-based private-pay work, and about the operational strategies they've employed to run efficiently. Looking to scale your Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) business through lucrative facility contracts? In Episode 111 of the NEMT Experts Podcast, we sit down with Joe Hilts from Gold Star Transportation to uncover their playbook for mastering private-pay contracts and scaling a highly efficient 7-van fleet in Knoxville, Tennessee. Discover how Gold Star transitioned from chaotic paper dispatching to seamless digital operations, dramatically reducing unloaded miles and eliminating hours of daily fleet downtime. Joe breaks down the operational metrics that matter most, strategies for securing 50+ facility partnerships, and why 90% of their business is now private-pay. ⏱️ Episode Chapters: [00:00] Intro: The shift to private-pay facility contracts [00:37] How Joe Hilts entered the NEMT industry [01:21] Gold Star Transportation’s history & controlled 7-van fleet growth [02:40] Eliminating downtime and paper tracking with Bambi [05:14] Private-Pay vs. Broker Trips: The ultimate ROI breakdown [07:27] A day in the life of an NEMT Operations Manager [11:13] Strategies for reducing empty miles & sector-based routing [14:47] Managing driver overtime and facility no-shows [16:45] NEMT Marketing: How word-of-mouth drives massive growth [19:40] Securing and retaining 50+ healthcare facility partnerships [22:38] Using "Run Bambi Run" to automate scheduling and dispatch _________________________________________________________________________ #NEMT #nemtsoftware #nemtbusiness #NEMTDispatch #MedicalTransport #BambiPresents #NEMTExperts #RunBambiRun Bambi — the NEMT software you deserve. Making NEMT easy since 2023. What is Bambi?:    • What is Bambi NEMT? The Non-Emergency Medi...   Website: https://www.hibambi.com/ Contact Bambi for a demo: https://www.hibambi.com/contact _________________________________________________________________________ LETS GET SOCIAL! Follow us on Instagram:   / bambi_health   Follow us on TikTok:⁠   / bambi_nemt   Follow us on X:   / bambi_health   Follow us on Facebook: ⁠  / bambihealth   Follow us on LinkedIn:   / bambi-health