Stretcher Transport Near Me in Chicago: Non-Emergency Stretcher Service from $300

Stretcher transport near Chicago costs $300 to $525 base rate through Dream Care Rides — not the $1,200+ you would pay for an ambulance when no emergency exists. We provide bed-to-bed ambulette service with two trained attendants, a hydraulic stretcher, and a hydraulic lift across Chicago, Cook County, Will County, and northwest Indiana. If you or a family member needs to lie flat during a medical transport and is medically stable, this is the service you need. Call (708) 505-6994 or schedule a stretcher ride online.

What Is Stretcher Transport?

Stretcher transport — also called ambulette service — moves patients who cannot sit upright but do not need an ambulance. The patient lies on a hydraulic stretcher inside a non-emergency vehicle. Two trained attendants handle loading, unloading, and patient transfers at both ends of the trip. No EMT or paramedic is onboard because the patient is medically stable.

This service exists because there is a gap between wheelchair-accessible vans and ambulances. If you had hip surgery, a spinal procedure, or a condition that requires you to remain supine, you need more than a wheelchair van. But you do not need sirens, cardiac monitors, or a $1,200 bill. You need a stretcher transport.

How Much Does Stretcher Transport Cost Near Me?

Dream Care Rides stretcher transportation in Chicago is priced as follows:

Component	Rate
Base rate	$300 – $525
Per mile	$5 – $16/mi
Weekend surcharge	1.5x base	1.5x base	1.5x base
Holiday surcharge	2.25x base	2.25x base	2.25x base
Wait time	$15 – $30 per 15 minutes
Onboard oxygen	$25	$25	$25
Stairchair assist	$25	$25	$25

For comparison: ambulatory sedan transport starts at $35 – $65 base, and wheelchair transportation in Chicago starts at $65 – $115 base. Use the NEMT cost calculator to get an estimate for your specific trip distance.

Example Trip Costs

Trip	Distance	Estimated Cost
Ingalls Memorial to home in Matteson	6 miles	$330 – $621
UChicago Medicine to SNF in Homewood	18 miles	$390 – $813
Rush to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab	4 miles	$320 – $589
Advocate South Suburban to home in Harvey	5 miles	$325 – $605

See the full Dream Care Rides rate card for all service types and surcharges.

Who Needs Stretcher Transport?

You need stretcher transport if you are medically stable but cannot sit upright for the duration of the trip. Common situations:

• Post-surgical discharge — hip replacement, spinal fusion, abdominal surgery patients who cannot flex at the waist
• Facility-to-facility transfer — hospital to skilled nursing facility, hospital to rehab center
• Hip or pelvic fracture — patient must remain supine during transit
• Wound care patients — post-skin-graft or other procedures where sitting causes pressure on the surgical site
• Hospice transport — moving a hospice patient from hospital to home or hospice facility
• Bariatric patients — patients who exceed wheelchair capacity and require a stretcher for safe transport

If you can sit upright for 30 minutes, wheelchair transport at $65 – $115 is the more cost-effective option. If you need medical monitoring during the ride, you need an ambulance, not NEMT.

What Happens During a Stretcher Transport

Here is the step-by-step process for a typical stretcher transport with Dream Care Rides:

1. Arrival: Two attendants arrive at the pickup location with the hydraulic stretcher and check in at the front desk or nursing station
2. Patient transfer: The attendants come to the patient's room and transfer the patient from the bed to the stretcher using proper lift technique
3. Navigation: The stretcher is wheeled through hallways and elevators to the vehicle loading area
4. Loading: A hydraulic lift raises the stretcher from ground level into the ambulette — no manual lifting of the patient
5. Securement: The stretcher locks into a four-point securement system on the vehicle floor. The patient wears a lap-and-shoulder belt.
6. Transport: One attendant drives, the other rides in the rear compartment with the patient
7. Arrival at destination: The hydraulic lift lowers the stretcher. Attendants wheel the patient to their room, bed, or designated area.
8. Transfer: If the destination has a bed ready, attendants transfer the patient from the stretcher to the bed

The entire process is door-through-door — actually room-to-room. You are attended from the moment we arrive until you are settled at your destination.

How to Book Stretcher Transport

You have three options:

• Call: (708) 505-6994 — speak directly with a dispatcher who can confirm availability, quote pricing, and book the transport
• Book online: Dream Care Rides.com/booking — select "Stretcher" as the service type and enter your pickup and drop-off addresses
• Hospital arranges: Your discharge planner or social worker can call us directly. See our guide for stretcher transport for hospital discharges

Book 48 to 72 hours in advance when possible. Same-day stretcher transport is available but subject to vehicle availability.

Paying for Stretcher Transport

Illinois Medicaid

Medicaid covers non-emergency stretcher transport when a physician certifies the patient cannot travel by wheelchair or sedan. Prior authorization is required. Your doctor or discharge planner submits the request. Dream Care Rides accepts Illinois Medicaid directly.

Medicare

Original Medicare does not typically cover NEMT stretcher transport. Some Medicare Advantage plans include NEMT benefits — check your plan's supplemental transportation benefit.

Private Pay

Most stretcher transports are private pay. You pay the base rate plus mileage at the time of service. We accept credit card, debit card, and cash.

Read about hospital discharge transportation options for more details on coverage.

Service Area: Where We Operate

Dream Care Rides headquarters is at 20000 Governors Dr Suite 103H, Olympia Fields, IL 60461. We provide stretcher transport across:

• Chicago — all neighborhoods
• South Suburbs — Olympia Fields, Matteson, Homewood, Hazel Crest, Harvey, Country Club Hills, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Oak Lawn
• Cook County — full coverage
• Will County — Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville
• DuPage County — Naperville, Downers Grove
• Northwest Indiana — Hammond, Munster, Gary, Crown Point

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Author: Otse Amorighoye is the Founder and CEO of Dream Care Rides (NPI #1033989991), headquartered at 20000 Governors Dr Suite 103H, Olympia Fields, IL 60461. Dream Care Rides provides non-emergency medical transportation throughout Chicago, Cook County, and the greater Illinois-Indiana metro area.