ROCKBRIDGE AREA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

What ROCKBRIDGE AREA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM does

Rockbridge Area Transportation System, Inc. (RATS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 by Joan Manley, headquartered at 712 N Main St, Lexington, Virginia, providing non-emergency, door-to-door transportation services to seniors, individuals with disabilities, Medicaid recipients, veterans, and university community members across Rockbridge and Alleghany Counties plus the Cities of Lexington and Buena Vista, with regional destinations extending to Staunton, Fishersville, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Charlottesville, and Richmond. RATS operates a fleet of 12 wheelchair-accessible vans, 3 cars, and 1 SUV, staffed by 13+ drivers in Rockbridge County and 2 in Alleghany County, plus a five-person administrative team (Executive Director, Associate Director, Operations Manager, Fleet Manager, Dispatch & Event Coordinator). All drivers are certified in Passenger Assistance, Safety and Sensitivity (PASS), and are equipped to handle and secure wheelchairs during transport. The organization maintains Title VI Civil Rights and ADA Title II compliance, with the Executive Director serving as ADA Coordinator.

RATS generates operating support from multiple streams: Medicaid NEMT reimbursement (which the organization states does not cover the full actual cost of trips), Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) funding, county and municipal appropriations from Alleghany County, Rockbridge County, and the City of Lexington, private pay fares scaled by household income, some Veterans benefits, charitable donations (via the Zeffy platform), and grants from healthcare and community foundations including Carilion Clinic Foundation, Rockbridge Community Health Foundation, United Way of Rockbridge, Community Foundation for Rockbridge/Bath/Alleghany, and Grace Episcopal Church. Pricing is usage-based with quote-on-request private pay; Medicaid and Veterans customers access the service through their benefit-program numbers. Distribution is direct: riders contact the office by phone (540-463-3346) or email at least 48 hours in advance, and drivers provide door-to-door pickup and drop-off.

Operationally, RATS grew from a volunteer kitchen-table effort to a 16-vehicle professional fleet over 30 years of continuous service, and currently serves as the only dedicated door-to-door NEMT provider specifically designed for seniors and disabled residents in its two-county service area. Following founder Joan Manley's death on April 28, 2022, leadership transitioned to Executive Director Stephanie RiCharde; the Board of Directors (2026-27 cycle chaired by James Manley) continues to oversee the organization. RATS holds no app, public API, AI/ML capabilities, or proprietary technology platform — its moat rests on nonprofit regulatory access, PASS-certified personnel, specialized wheelchair fleet, and deep community/funder ecosystem.

Name

ROCKBRIDGE AREA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Legal name

Rockbridge Area Transportation System, Inc.

Website

https://rockbridgetransportation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rockbridge Area Transportation System (RATS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing non-emergency door-to-door transportation to seniors, disabled individuals, Medicaid recipients, and veterans across Rockbridge and Alleghany Counties, Virginia, using a fleet of 12 wheelchair-accessible vans, 3 cars, and 1 SUV staffed by PASS-certified drivers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Medicaid Transportation Reimbursement: Medicaid covers transportation costs for its members, though reimbursement does not cover full actual cost of trips. Medicaid recipients must request rides through the number on their Medicaid card.
2. Government Grants and Public Funding: RATS receives funding from Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), Alleghany County, Rockbridge County, City of Lexington, and other local government sources
3. Private Pay Transportation: Self-pay services including airport transports, private event shuttles, and transportation for those without insurance coverage. Fares based on household income.
4. Donations and Charitable Contributions: RATS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relying on individual contributions and support from organizations like United Way of Rockbridge and Community Foundation for Rockbridge, Bath, and Alleghany
5. Veterans Benefits Transportation: RATS accepts some Veterans benefits for transportation services
6. Healthcare Foundation Support: Support from healthcare-focused foundations including Carilion Clinic Foundation and Rockbridge Community Health Foundation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rockbridge Area Transportation System (RATS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing non-emergency, door-to-door transportation primarily for seniors and individuals with disabilities in Rockbridge and Alleghany Counties, Virginia. The organization operates a fleet of 12 wheelchair-accessible vans, 3 cars, and an SUV with PASS-certified drivers, serving passengers traveling to medical appointments, shopping, employment, regional destinations, and community events.

Product overview

Rockbridge Area Transportation System (RATS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing non-emergency, door-to-door transportation services. The organization operates a single unified transportation service offering rather than a platform with distinct branded products or modules. Services include Medicaid-covered medical transportation, veterans benefits transportation, private pay transportation, and partnerships with local universities (Virginia Military Institute, Washington & Lee University, Southern Virginia University, Mountain Gateway Community College). The fleet consists of 12 wheelchair-accessible vans, 3 cars, and an SUV. Services target seniors, disabled individuals, and residents with transportation barriers in Rockbridge and Alleghany Counties in Virginia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Door-to-Door Transportation Service Core non-emergency transportation service for seniors and individuals with disabilities, using PASS-certified drivers trained in passenger assistance, safety, and sensitivity, with vehicles equipped to secure wheelchairs.
• Medicaid-Covered Medical Transportation Transportation services for Medicaid members where costs are covered by Medicaid; recipients must request rides through the number on their Medicaid card.
• Veterans Benefits Transportation Transportation services for military veterans using VA transportation benefits, with RATS assisting veterans in accessing their benefits.
• Private Pay Transportation Services Self-pay transportation services including airport transports and private event shuttles, with fares based on household income and quotes provided upon request.
• University Community Transportation Transportation services for students, faculty, and staff from Virginia Military Institute, Washington & Lee University, Southern Virginia University, and Mountain Gateway Community College.
• Community Event Shuttle Services Transportation for school events, summer day camps, vineyard and area tours, civic and social activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 years of continuous operation providing transportation to those with limited resources
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Veyo: Veyo is a technology-driven NEMT provider that combines a proprietary dispatch platform with driver networks to serve Medicaid and health plan members. It is comparable to RATS because both deliver non-emergency medical transportation to Medicaid-covered riders, with Veyo representing a more scalable, tech-enabled version of the same model RATS operates locally.

Emerging players

• WellRyde: WellRyde is a SaaS platform that enables NEMT providers and brokers to manage trip scheduling, dispatch, and billing. It is comparable to RATS as part of the broader NEMT ecosystem — its customers are the kinds of small community-based transportation providers RATS represents — though it is a software vendor rather than a transportation operator.
• Circulation: Circulation is an NEMT platform that partners with healthcare organizations and rideshare providers to coordinate non-emergency medical rides. It is comparable to RATS because both serve the same end-population (patients needing rides to medical appointments), though Circulation does so through partnerships rather than a directly operated fleet.
• Uber Health: Uber Health is Uber's healthcare arm, enabling healthcare providers and payers to schedule rides for patients via the Uber platform. It is comparable to RATS as an alternative channel for ambulatory Medicaid and senior medical transportation, though it does not serve wheelchair-bound riders requiring WAV assistance.
• Lyft Healthcare: Lyft Healthcare (formerly Lyft Concierge) provides HIPAA-compliant ride scheduling for healthcare organizations and Medicaid plans. It is comparable to RATS as a non-emergency medical transportation option, serving similar patient populations but lacking WAV/specialized-driver capabilities for the most disabled riders.

Broad incumbents

• MTM (Medical Transportation Management): MTM is a major NEMT manager serving Medicaid and Medicare Advantage members across multiple states. It is comparable to RATS because both organize non-emergency medical rides for vulnerable populations (seniors, disabled, low-income), though MTM works through a network of contracted carriers rather than running its own fleet.
• Modivcare: Modivcare (formerly LogistiCare) is the largest U.S. NEMT broker, coordinating Medicaid and managed-care transportation across dozens of states. It is comparable to RATS because both arrange and deliver non-emergency medical transportation for Medicaid populations, though Modivcare operates at vastly greater scale and acts primarily as a broker rather than a direct fleet operator.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RockbridgeAreaTransport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rockbridge-area-transportation-system

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ROCKBRIDGE AREA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM