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Durham grants four non‑emergency ambulance franchises to expand transport capacity
Summary
After a public hearing, the Durham County Board of Commissioners unanimously granted two‑year non‑emergency ambulance franchises to GenCare, North State (Midwest Medical), PriorityCare and Providence, aiming to ease hospital discharge loads and protect 9‑1‑1 resources. Applicants answered public questions about staffing and diversity.
The Durham County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 8 approved four separate franchises to provide non‑emergency ambulance transport services after a public hearing and staff review that found each applicant met county ordinance requirements.
Chief Seth Kamanski of Durham County EMS explained the franchise process under North Carolina General Statute 153A‑250 and Durham County Ordinance Chapter 12, saying the county uses franchising to ensure consistency, safety standards and coordination with 9‑1‑1 for scheduled, non‑emergency medical transport. He introduced four applicants: Midwest Medical Transport (doing business as North State Medical Transport), PriorityCare (Raleigh‑based), Providence Transportation and Jancare.
Representatives from the companies described local operations: Midwest/North State said it operates 24/7 with about 16 ambulances and roughly 85 personnel; PriorityCare said it has about 55 employees and weekend coverage patterns; Jancare said it staffs peak shifts with scalable units and works extensively with Duke hospitals; Providence said it maintains a fleet of 17 ambulances and franchised operations in neighboring counties.
During public comment, residents asked about workforce diversity, the number of employees, and whether the non‑emergency franchises would replace emergency responders. Chief Kamanski and company representatives clarified that the franchised services are non‑emergency and intended to reduce the burden on 9‑1‑1 and hospital discharge operations, and that demographic breakdowns would be provided to staff or at a subsequent hearing as requested.
The board then voted on separate motions for each applicant — GenCare (GenCare Ambulance/McDowell County Inc.), Midwest Medical (North State), PriorityCare and Providence — with each motion passing unanimously. Commissioners thanked staff for vetting the proposals and noted that multiple franchises increase choice, capacity and system resilience.
What happens next: Each franchise will be effective upon execution of a franchise agreement and is subject to ongoing compliance with county requirements and oversight by EMS and risk management. The county will monitor service quality and may revisit terms as needed.
