Entrepreneur Ginger Smith sees that as an opening for her startup transportation service — one that's designed to shuttle cancer patients and seniors to doctor appointments and medical treatments and on errands.
Wings Caring Cars recently opened in Nashville with one vehicle but plans to expand to three in the first quarter of 2010, said Smith, formerly a fundraiser at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Nashville and, before that, a director at the Children's Aid Society in New York, one of the largest organizations to aid in the Sept. 11, 2001, relief effort.
"We're less about transportation and more about a service," Smith said of the for-profit company. It's open to anyone needing a car service, although the focus is on the elderly and those undergoing cancer treatments.
Often, she said, families have job requirements that prevent them from chauffeuring loved ones to appointments.
Drivers get training from gerontologists and social workers and also have advanced CPR and first aid training, she said. Passengers can select the type of music they want to listen to or talk to the drivers, if they prefer.
"We want to get patients to their treatments in the best frame of mind possible," Smith said. Drivers also can text or call family members to update them on a patient's progress.
Nonprofits provide ridesFelice Apolinsky, program director at Gilda's Club Nashville, said the new transportation service could have value, although she noted that several local nonprofits provide rides that are not as expensive.
Wings' trips start at $25 to $35, and a separate hourly rate is available for passengers who want the driver to wait during appointments.
The American Cancer Society, Metro AccessRide and others already offer free or reduced-rate rides for the elderly, those with disabilities, cancer patients and others. "Wings is an additional option for people," Smith said.
Smith and a co-founder have put about $30,000 into the company and hope to raise $250,000 from angel investors with the goal of operating three cars with three drivers. They've put more than 100 hours of research into their transportation model, designed with the help of the Averitt Trucking supply chain management team, Smith said.
Smith has spent the past six months shuttling patients at a nursing home to appointments as part of a demonstration. She is working out deals with local medical groups to transport some of their patients. She anticipates having operations in other Southeastern cities in five years.
She estimates the company will have to make four to five trips per car each day to be profitable.
To contact Wings Caring Cars, call 615-428-4982 or go to www.wingscaringcars.com.
Contact Bonna Johnson at 615-726-5990 or bjohnson@tennessean.com.
Nashville People in BusinessFull-Service Development
