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What Counts as an Emergency?
Call 911 if you experience:
We provide NEMT for:
Dream Care Rides is a licensed NEMT provider. We do not provide emergency ambulance or paramedic services.
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Licensed NEMT Provider · Available 24/7 · Dispatching from Olympia Fields, IL

Passenger Reviews
Sheree Clark
“My 86 yr old Mom spent over 40 days in a hospital and skilled nursing facility. I googled non emergency ambulance transportation and came across Dream Care Rides. The 2 men that picked up my Mom were the absolute best! Kind and courteous, careful mov...”
Read full review →KC
“Dream Care Rides is an excellent NEMT service for all ages and needs. I had a last minute procedure and could not find a friend to transport me. Dream Care Rides to the rescue. Their communication with me and the hospital was excellent. The driver wa...”
Read full review →Beatrice Ayiku
“I recently needed reliable transportation for medical appointments, and they exceeded my expectations in every way. The drivers are always professional, courteous, and right on time. From the moment I booked my first ride, I felt like I was in great ...”
Read full review →James Norton
“Driver Chijioke was great and took my wife to hospital to be admitted and went way beyond. I was sick with flu and could not take her. People at Dream Rides are great on time and go way beyond.”
Debra Woodson
“Dream Care Rides was EXCELLENT! The staff was kind, polite, attentive, and professional. They were prompt, and got me in and out of the house with no problem whatsoever. I will gladly call them again. Your help was a God send!”
Jennifer Phillips
“I am so grateful I found Dream Care Rides. The van was clean, the driver was very kind and helpful and they were prompt. I highly recommend them for anyone needing medical transportation.”
Dream Care Rides provides licensed, non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) in Des Plaines, IL, with dedicated drivers serving the Cook County area. We offer ambulatory sedan transport, ADA-compliant wheelchair-accessible vans, and stretcher vehicles for patients who must travel lying down. Our CPR-certified drivers serve Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Advocate Medical Group Des Plaines, and 4 additional medical facilities throughout the Cook County area.
Des Plaines sits in the O'Hare corridor, 35 miles from our Olympia Fields headquarters, in one of the most medically concentrated areas in Illinois. Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in adjacent Park Ridge is among the largest and most respected hospitals in the north suburbs, serving Des Plaines as its primary medical center. Dream Care Rides connects Des Plaines residents to this major medical hub and the broader network of northwest suburban and downtown Chicago hospitals.
To book a medical ride from Des Plaines, call (708) 505-6994 or schedule online at dreamcarerides.com/booking. We accept private pay, Medicaid through most Illinois managed care organizations, and coordinate with discharge planners and case managers for facility-to-home and facility-to-facility transfers. Service is available seven days a week, including weekends and holidays, from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Des Plaines occupies a unique position in the Chicago metropolitan healthcare landscape. Sitting in the O'Hare corridor where I-90, I-294, and I-190 converge, the city is surrounded by one of the highest concentrations of medical facilities in suburban Cook County. Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in adjacent Park Ridge is the anchor — a 638-bed Level I Trauma Center with cardiac surgery, comprehensive neurosciences, and oncology programs that serve the entire northwest suburban region.
Lutheran General is not just a hospital for Des Plaines — it is a regional medical center that draws patients from Park Ridge, Niles, Mount Prospect, Elk Grove Village, and beyond. For Des Plaines residents, the proximity is an advantage: most addresses in the city are within 3 miles of the hospital campus on Dempster Street. But getting to Lutheran General requires transportation, and for seniors who have stopped driving, post-surgical patients recovering at home, and dialysis patients on three-times-weekly schedules, that transportation need is constant.
Holy Family Medical Center on River Road in Des Plaines provides additional community hospital services, including emergency care and medical-surgical inpatient beds. NorthShore Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview, 15 minutes east, offers specialty surgical services as part of the NorthShore University HealthSystem. For the most complex medical needs, Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago is accessible via the Kennedy Expressway in approximately 25 minutes outside of rush hour.
The O'Hare corridor's highway network is both an advantage and a challenge for medical transportation. I-294 provides north-south connectivity to hospitals across the suburbs, while I-90 connects to downtown Chicago. But O'Hare airport traffic creates unpredictable congestion patterns, particularly on I-190 and the I-90/I-294 interchange. Dream Care Rides drivers who serve Des Plaines know these traffic patterns intimately and adjust routes and departure times to ensure on-time arrival at medical appointments.
For Des Plaines' growing senior population, reliable NEMT service is essential to maintaining independence. Many Des Plaines seniors live in multi-unit condominiums and apartment buildings along the River Road and Oakton Street corridors. Our drivers are experienced with building access procedures, elevator logistics, and the specific boarding considerations that come with multi-story residential pickups. Call (708) 505-6994 to schedule professional medical transportation from your Des Plaines address.
💡 Local Insight
The I-90/I-294 interchange near O'Hare creates unpredictable congestion, especially during afternoon rush from 3 to 6:30 PM. Our drivers use Dempster Street and Oakton Street as surface alternatives to reach Lutheran General and avoid expressway backups when timing is tight.
Full NEMT Coverage Across Cook County
Dream Care Rides provides dedicated drivers serving Des Plaines and the Cook County area. We transport patients to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and all major medical facilities in your area. Call (708) 505-6994 for your exact upfront quote.

Dream Care Rides provides door-to-door medical transportation in Des Plaines, IL and surrounding areas.
1775 Dempster St, Park Ridge, IL 60068
Phone: (847) 723-2210
🚐 NEMT Drop-off Instructions
Main entrance on Dempster Street with a patient drop-off loop under the covered portico. Ambulatory passengers enter through the main lobby. Wheelchair passengers use the same loop where level access is provided at the curb. For stretcher transport, use the Emergency Department ambulance bay accessed from the south parking lot. Contact the charge nurse at least 30 minutes before arrival for stretcher pickups.
1550 N Northwest Hwy, Des Plaines, IL 60016
Primary care and specialty physician offices on Northwest Highway serving the Des Plaines community.
100 N River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60016
Community hospital in Des Plaines providing emergency services and medical-surgical care on the Des Plaines River campus.
2100 Pfingsten Rd, Glenview, IL 60026
15 minutes east in Glenview. Part of the NorthShore system with specialty surgical services.
251 E Huron St, Chicago, IL 60611
25 minutes southeast. Top-ranked academic medical center for complex and specialty care.
We provide standing-order dialysis transport for patients in Des Plaines. Call once, set up your recurring schedule, and your ride is automatically booked for every session. No need to call before each appointment — your driver will be at your door on time, every time.
Door-to-door sedan rides for passengers who can walk
From $35
ADA vans with hydraulic lifts and Q-Straint securement
From $65
For passengers who cannot sit upright during transport
From $300
Recurring standing orders for 3x/week sessions
From $35
Same-day discharge transport from all major hospitals
From $35
Door-through-door assistance for elderly passengers
From $35
Sedan rides for passengers who can walk
$35 – $65
+ $2 – $4 per mile
ADA vans with lifts & securement
$65 – $115
+ $3 – $6 per mile
For passengers who cannot sit upright
$300 – $525
+ $5 – $16 per mile
Prices shown are per leg (one way). Round trips are priced as two legs.
Service level affects pricing — factors include vehicle type, equipment needed, number of attendants, stairs, and time of day. Weekend & holiday surcharges apply.
Need oxygen ($25) or stairchair ($25)? Let us know when booking. Estimate your cost or call (708) 505-6994 for an exact quote.
Get your exact price with our NEMT Cost Calculator
Des Plaines is a community of 60,000 people in the O'Hare corridor of northwest suburban Cook County. Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in adjacent Park Ridge is the primary hospital for Des Plaines residents, providing Level I Trauma services, cardiac surgery, comprehensive oncology, and one of the most respected neuroscience programs in the north suburbs. This is not a small community hospital — Lutheran General is a major regional medical center that draws patients from across the northwest suburbs. Dream Care Rides provides professional NEMT service to Des Plaines residents who need reliable transport to Lutheran General, Holy Family Medical Center in Des Plaines, NorthShore hospitals in Glenview and Evanston, and downtown Chicago hospitals including Northwestern Memorial and Rush. Our drivers understand the northwest suburban road network, the I-90 and I-294 interchange patterns, and the hospital campus layouts that are essential for efficient medical transport. For dialysis patients, DaVita on Elmhurst Road and Fresenius on Golf Road are both within Des Plaines. We offer standing-order scheduling for three-times-per-week sessions so every ride is automatic. Private-pay patients get upfront pricing with no broker markups or hidden fees. For a full breakdown of our Illinois rates, visit dreamcarerides.com/rates. Call (708) 505-6994 or book at dreamcarerides.com/booking for an instant quote. Whether you need an ambulatory sedan, a wheelchair van, or a stretcher vehicle, Dream Care Rides has the fleet and the expertise to get Des Plaines residents to their medical appointments safely and on time.
| Feature | Dream Care Rides | Typical Chicago NEMT | Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dispatches from | Dedicated drivers in the Cook County area | Chicago (25-45 min away) | Nearest available driver |
| Wheelchair accessible | Yes — hydraulic lifts, Q-Straint securement | Varies by company | No |
| Stretcher transport | Yes — for patients who cannot sit | Some companies | No |
| Driver training | CPR-certified, patient assist, background-checked | Varies | Basic background check only |
| Upfront pricing | Yes — exact price before booking | Sometimes | Surge pricing possible |
| Standing orders | Yes — recurring dialysis, chemo, PT | Some companies | No |
| Door-through-door | Yes — driver assists to facility entrance | Curb-to-curb typical | Curb-to-curb only |
| Medicaid billing | Yes — we bill Medicaid directly | Often broker-dependent | Limited programs |
| Same-day available | Yes for ambulatory and wheelchair | Usually 24-48 hr notice | Yes |
| Hospital coordination | Driver checks in with discharge desk | Drop-off only | Drop-off only |
Reach our dispatch team at (708) 505-6994 or schedule instantly at dreamcarerides.com/booking. Available 7 days a week.
Tell us your Des Plaines pickup address, destination, and whether you need ambulatory, wheelchair, or stretcher transport.
Receive your exact fare before confirming — no hidden fees, no surge pricing, no surprises.
Your CPR-certified driver arrives at your door with the right vehicle and assists you safely to your appointment.
In addition to Des Plaines, IL, Dream Care Rides provides medical transportation to and from these nearby communities. Our drivers serve the entire Cook County region and know the roads, hospitals, and clinics in every neighborhood.
Call now or book online. Upfront pricing, no hidden fees, no broker authorization needed.

About the Author
Founder & CEO, Dream Care Rides
Otse founded Dream Care Rides to provide safe, dignified medical transportation for patients across Chicago and the south suburbs. Based in Olympia Fields, IL, Dream Care Rides operates a fleet of ADA-compliant vehicles serving 80+ cities across Illinois and Indiana.
Published: March 24, 2026
Last updated: Mar 27, 2026