What San Diego facilities publish, word for word
Read the Euclid language closely, because it is the clearest statement of the rule in the county: a private car is fine. A taxi is fine. What is not fine is arriving without a responsible adult who is not the driver.
Why rideshare specifically fails
The driver has no duty to you. Uber’s community guidelines tell drivers that if a rider “is too drunk or rowdy, you have the right to decline the trip” (source). A sedated passenger can present the same way to a driver who has no idea you have just had a procedure. Uber Health’s own material states that “drivers are not trained in CPR, medical assistance, or specialized patient handling” and that “UberX is best for riders who can get in and out of cars by themselves and without support” (source).
And Uber Health is not something you can buy. It is sold to health systems, clinics and NEMT brokers, and even its 2026 self-booking feature only lets patients book organization-funded trips (source). If your clinic has not set it up for you, it does not exist for you.
What a licensed carrier changes: a named driver assigned in advance, a company that answers the phone, commercial insurance and a CPUC permit behind the trip, and a car that has room for your escort at no extra charge. What it does not change is the escort requirement. Anyone who tells you their driver counts as your responsible adult is telling you something the facility will not accept at the desk.
What we are, and what we are not — read this before you book
We are a licensed passenger carrier, not a medical transport service. Elite Green Transportation holds California CPUC charter-party carrier permit TCP #0046494-A. We carry ambulatory passengers — people who can walk to the car and sit in an ordinary seat.
We cannot be your “responsible adult.” Federal law governing ambulatory surgery centers (42 CFR §416.52) requires the facility to “ensure all patients are discharged in the company of a responsible adult, except those patients exempted by the attending physician.” A paid driver does not satisfy that requirement, and we will never tell you otherwise. Euclid Endoscopy Center in San Diego states the rule about as plainly as it can be stated: a patient must be accompanied by a responsible adult “(not the taxi driver)” (source).
So here is the actual product: we drive you and the person taking care of you. Your escort still has to be there — but they no longer have to drive at 5 a.m., find parking at a medical campus, sit in a waiting room for three hours, and then drive home while keeping an eye on someone who is still coming out of sedation. That is the job we take off them.
What we do not do: we do not provide gurney or stretcher transport, we do not transport passengers who cannot transfer out of a wheelchair unaided, and we provide no medical care, monitoring or assistance of any kind en route. Those are separate, separately-licensed services — in California, ambulance, litter van and wheelchair van are the regulated categories (22 CCR §51323). If that is what you need, we will tell you so and we will not take the booking.
We do not bill insurance. This is a private-pay service. See the cost page for what is and is not covered.
Frequently asked
Will the surgery center accept a licensed car service?
The facility's requirement is about the responsible adult, not the vehicle. Several San Diego centers explicitly permit a private car or taxi as long as a responsible adult who is not the driver accompanies you. Bring your escort and the vehicle is not the issue.
What if I genuinely have nobody?
Talk to the facility before your date, not on the morning of. Some procedures can be done without sedation, and an attending physician can exempt a patient under 42 CFR 416.52. That is a clinical decision and it is theirs, not ours.
Is this different for a procedure with no sedation?
Yes. La Jolla Endoscopy Center states plainly: "A driver is not required if you do not receive sedation." In that case a one-way ride at the standard zone rate is usually all you need.
Can my driver be my responsible adult?
No. 42 CFR 416.52 requires the facility to discharge you in the company of a responsible adult, and a paid driver does not satisfy that. Euclid Endoscopy Center in San Diego says it outright: a responsible adult, "not the taxi driver." We drive you and your escort. We never claim to be the escort.
Does my escort cost extra?
No. The rate is per vehicle. Your escort rides free, both ways.
Do you charge for waiting?
No. Two scheduled legs, no hourly meter. We come back when the unit calls.
Will insurance cover it?
Almost certainly not. Medicare Part B covers ambulance only. Medi-Cal NEMT/NMT is for Medi-Cal members with a provider prescription. UC San Diego Health publishes the caveat itself: "not all forms of medical transport are covered by health plans."
What if I need a wheelchair or gurney?
Then we are the wrong service and we will say so. Those are separately licensed categories in California. We carry ambulatory passengers only.
Book the ride — tell us the facility and the time
We call you back to confirm. Prefer to skip the form? Call (858) 522-0264 or text us — an owner answers.