Sunshine Rides
Keeping Colorado Connected to Care and Community

For many Coloradans, transportation is the link between a medical appointment, community service or daily obligation and the ability to reach it reliably. Sunshine Rides has spent 35 years building that link across the state, evolving from a Grand Junction taxi business founded in 1991 into a passenger transportation provider serving medical, community and private riders.

Its model centers on coordinated transportation rather than app-only ride matching. Sunshine Rides provides non-emergency medical transportation, Home and Community-Based Services transportation, private-pay trips, long distance travel, shuttle and charter service, micro-transit contracting and wheelchair-accessible rides. The business serves communities across Colorado and maintains offices in Englewood, Loveland, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, Montrose, Durango and Cortez.“We have a large, diverse, good team of over 150 people serving the community,” says Kelly Milan, owner and general manager.

Building Transportation around Rider Needs

Medical transportation requires more than moving a passenger between addresses. Sunshine Rides assists patients who are Medicaid beneficiaries in determining whether they have transportation benefits and are eligible for such services. It also educates them on long-distance transportation authorizations and scheduling trips well in advance so that vehicles and drivers can be arranged.

The partner portal gives healthcare teams visibility into upcoming, active and completed rides while allowing staff to update details, set trip parameters and share special instructions without calling dispatch. Payment options include stored cards, monthly invoicing and guest-pay arrangements. This structure lets healthcare organizations coordinate transportation while keeping trip information and billing in one place.

Accessibility is incorporated into the fleet. Sunshine Rides operates sedans, SUVs, transit vans and wheelchair accessible vehicles. Drivers receive CPR and first aid certification, defensive driving instruction, passenger assistance training, NEMT provider credentialing, drug screening and background checks. Wheelchair riders get support from drivers trained in proper handling and securement from pickup through destination.

Adding Control to Community Mobility

Sunshine Rides also supports transportation needs outside clinical settings. Its business program allows hotels, community programs and employers to arrange trips for customers or staff. At the same time, micro transit contracts can be configured for communities that need flexible transportation between traditional public transit and individual ride services. Pre-scheduled shuttle and charter options accommodate groups using minivans and 14-passenger transit vans.

Technology supports that coordination without replacing human assistance. The Sunshine Rides passenger application provides them with the ability to calculate fares, view information about drivers and vehicles, monitor arrivals and plan trips in advance. Passenger dispatch can be arranged through phone calls or texting, which is crucial for those who need help in providing mobility needs.

The safety precautions persist even after the vehicle is dispatched. Sunshine Rides installs equipment in its vehicles that tracks speed, braking and driver’s behavior, while their rides are under video surveillance both internally and externally. The company works round the-clock and offers dispatch services throughout Colorado.

Extending Access across Colorado.

Sunshine Rides is listed by Colorado’s Department of Health Care Policy and Financing as an active NEMT provider in numerous counties. It also participates in Denver-area mobility through RTD’s Access-on-Demand program, where eligible Access-a-Ride customers can request curb-to-curb service in standard or wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Its growth is linked to community access. Industry coverage reports that non-emergency medical transportation became a major part of the business as healthcare access needs grew across western Colorado. Its development from paper-based dispatch to coordinated statewide transportation shows the same underlying purpose, helping riders reach care, community programs and essential destinations through a service model built around accessibility, trained drivers and accountable trip management.