A ride company is choosing a person who will spend a short stretch of time alone with your parent at the curb, in the car, and at the door. The license on the wall matters less than what the driver will do with a walker, a wheelchair, or a slow step, and what happens when the van is late. Compare on those points before you book.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Ask what the driver will do

Assist levels vary. Some drivers wait at the curb, some walk the parent to the car, and some go through the door to the living room. Ask which level is included, whether it is written in the contract, and whether it changes for a walker or a wheelchair. Ask whether the driver will help with a stair, a curb, or a cold walk from the car to the clinic entrance.

Check the wait limits

Find out how long the driver waits at the pickup and at the drop-off before the company counts a no-show. Ask what a late pickup triggers, whether it is a refund, a rebooking, or nothing. Ask whether a wait at the clinic is billed, and how the return trip is booked if the appointment runs long. Get the wait rules in writing, because a phone call does not help when the van does not come.

Find out who answers the phone

Call during business hours and after. Note the hold time, whether a person answers, and whether the dispatcher can change a booking the same day. Ask how you reach someone when the ride is late on the morning of the appointment. A company that answers quickly on a normal day can still leave you alone at the curb, so test the phone before you need it.

Confirm the paperwork

Ask for the company's license number and proof of insurance. Look up the company in the state or local record that covers passenger transport, and confirm the name and address match what they gave you. Ask what training drivers get for mobility devices and whether drivers are screened before they are hired. Keep the copies with the parent's other papers.

Check the vehicle and the chair

Ask what vehicle comes, whether it has a ramp or lift, and whether the parent's wheelchair can be secured in it. Ask for the securement method in writing. If the parent uses a walker, ask whether it fits in the trunk or the vehicle, and whether the company will hold the walker for the trip.

Run a short test

Book one short trip before the important appointment. Time the pickup, watch how the driver handles the door and the walker, and note whether you received a confirmation in writing. A short test shows you more than any brochure does.

If you are in the St. Louis area, the Local Help for Caregivers in St. Louis page lists places to check before you book a private ride. You are allowed to change companies after one bad pickup. You do not owe a company a second chance just because the first one was convenient.