Transport ambulances

Jim Staruk

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My dear brother-in-law has stage 4 cancer and must be transported into Boston for treatments (a 90 mile round trip). He says the ambulance rides like a truck (which it is) which gives him a very uncomfortable (and painful) ride. They actually have to increase his pain medication for each trip. I remember that the last few years of Cadillac ambulances (1979 and 1980?) were called “Transport Ambulances”. So why can’t someone produce a car-based transport ambulance now a days? I’m sure there are plenty of elderly and terminal patients that would appreciate a comfortable ride while being transported for treatment. It’s so ironic that the dead are transported in a smooth-riding luxury vehicle yet the ill must be transported by truck! Anyone want to start a company with me that produces luxury transport ambulances?
 
Jim: Long Time PCS Members (BAYSHORE AMBULANCE SERVICE) in California do that type of transfers with several beautiful Cadillac Ambulances along with their normal large fleet current box units. The only outfit I am aware of that does? MM
 
Jim: Long Time PCS Members (BAYSHORE AMBULANCE SERVICE) in California do that type of transfers with several beautiful Cadillac Ambulances along with their normal large fleet current box units. The only outfit I am aware of that does? MM

Mike,
You are correct....Having a family member who has used The Twins' Bayshore Ambulance, Cadillac service....I know they do not come cheap.....however the service is available...they even take bed ridden patients for an afternoon outing to the coast,redwoods,or pretty much any other destination in northern Calif.
But most of the use of the Cadillacs is for "sensitive" transports......I know that some insurance companies will NOT pay for this service,something about being a "frivoulous" service ?? !!

On another note,
I have done several promo displays for Kaiser here in Sacramento such as a 5K run where we had the 72 set up along with an EZ up and we were registering runners and handing out bottled water once the race started....
we named it the "Thirst-Aid station"......:cool:
I have been approached about transporting non emergency patients when the need arises...I have politly told them although it could be done,I am neither licensed nor insured to do anything along those lines.....to which they responded "Well,what would it take ?".......
I am really not interested in going back into the "ambulance" business....:eek:
 
Most states have regulations that do not permit the use of the Cadillac style ambulances because they do not meet the size requirements for all of the equipment required on today's ambulances. As a retired EMT, I used to work in the Cadillacs and can confirm that they did ride better. But there is no way that the cars of today can handle the weight required for an ambulance.
 
Most states have regulations that do not permit the use of the Cadillac style ambulances because they do not meet the size requirements for all of the equipment required on today's ambulances. As a retired EMT, I used to work in the Cadillacs and can confirm that they did ride better. But there is no way that the cars of today can handle the weight required for an ambulance.

But does a "transport" ambulance have to meet all "emergency" ambulance requirements?
 
But does a "transport" ambulance have to meet all "emergency" ambulance requirements?
In most states, yes, it does. I was a Maryland Commercial Ambulance Licensing inspector for several years, and all ambulance services (other than FD/government) had to be licensed, and all had to meet the requirements. Commerical (private) ambulances only do transports. The FD/government ambulances had to meet their own requirements which were similar.

At least with the Maryland regulations, a Criterion or 54XL could, in theory, have met the requirements for a BLS unit, having enough space for the required equipment. But no services ever did so (I nearly did when I owned a private ambulance service)

The demand for that type of service, at least in this area, is almost non-existant and would not have been economically feasible. Had a company done so around here, it would have been viewed as "outdated" or "antiquated". Apparently, in California, there is enough demand for that type of service for Bayshore to offer it and make money on it.

Bud Smock, the founder of PL Custom, an ambulance manufacturer in NJ, told me once that he was planning to build a new (2000's) Cadillac ambulance that he felt would meet the requirements and be cost effective. Unfortunately, he passed away before developing the project and the plan died with him.

I feel your pain - or your brother-in-law's pain. I wish it were different.
 
There is a story of a guy that's was here in Memphis that bought 5 or 6 procar ambulances back in the late seventies early 80s that was going to do non emergency transport for nursing homes and he could never get thru the regulations and red tap to be able to do it. Even if he could he would not been able to afford the insuance premiums.
 
Steve is correct Bud had been working on a car based ambulance. His plan was to revel it to the mebers of the PCS when we were there in 2008. He was working with Joe Vasta on this project. From what I was told the plan was to get a hearse with no roof on it sent to PL in Manasquan nad build from there.Bud said they build Floower cars why not a car based ambulance. As Bud put it me some one like me would buy it just because.The funny thing is he was more then likely right.
 
so look for a service that has the vans. believe it or not the smaller van type II
will ride fairly smooth. I have no ida on he sprinters but the vans were not all that bad. is there a medical need for the ambulance our could he be transported in a motor home?
 
so look for a service that has the vans. believe it or not the smaller van type II
will ride fairly smooth. I have no ida on he sprinters but the vans were not all that bad. is there a medical need for the ambulance our could he be transported in a motor home?

A Sprinter 3/4 ton van with the single rear wheels is the smoothest current ambulance. Type 2 (van) are usually smoother than type 3 (cut away van/box) which are smoother than type 1 ( truck cab/box) units. On the box units the quality of the conversion a proper weight distribution will help, but it's still a truck.
 
But does a "transport" ambulance have to meet all "emergency" ambulance requirements?

The Alberta government has already tackled this one. We move multiple patients between facilities for investigations/procedures. They label the vehicles "non ambulance transport". Staffed by EMT's rather than paramedics. No warning equipment. What would you rather be transported in, a new pro car or a Caravan? Now all we need is an economical platform and their contract! If some one works on the former, I will work on the latter. :)
 
now here as long as the pt has no medical need for a ambulance and is cleared for POV. Jim could be running him back and forth for treatment in his ambulance. if the only need the pt has would be to be laying down why tie up a rig and a crew just to shuttle them from home to treatment and back.
 
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