For many in Northeast Tennessee, NET Trans isn’t just a ride—it’s a lifeline. Behind every trip is a van driver whose day begins long before the first passenger steps inside.
Unlike most driving jobs, NET Trans drivers are allowed to take their vans home. The morning starts right from their driveway when they log into their tablet to receive their daily schedule. Routes are carefully optimized, whether riders booked their trips through the NET Trans mobile app or by calling the call center. Each day’s schedule is unique—drivers may find themselves traveling anywhere across the eight counties of Northeast Tennessee.
At each pickup, drivers step out of the van, greet passengers, and assist them as needed—whether that means offering a steady hand, helping secure a wheelchair, or simply giving a smile to brighten someone’s day. One driver recalled catching a passenger before she fell, while another shared how a simple gospel song sparked joy in a non-verbal rider. These moments remind drivers that their work goes beyond transportation—it’s about care, safety, and human connection
Throughout the day, drivers navigate both busy city streets and scenic backroads. They may take a dialysis patient to treatment in the morning, transport someone to a new job in the afternoon, and return a senior safely home in the evening. Each trip is different, but the mission is always the same: ensuring people can access medical appointments, employment, shopping, or simply the chance to connect with their community.
Though drivers spend much of their day behind the wheel, they are never alone. The radio keeps them connected to dispatchers and fellow drivers, who often step in to help if someone falls behind on trips. “We are a family,” one driver explained. “Everyone works together—whether it’s giving directions, running an extra trip, or just joking with each other on the radio.”
By the end of their shift, drivers may be tired from hours on the road, but they carry with them the satisfaction of knowing they made a difference. Riders often tell drivers they would have no way to reach their destinations without NET Trans. For drivers, that knowledge is both humbling and motivating. As one driver put it: “At the end of the day, you know you made a difference in someone’s life. Some clients aren’t just clients; they become friends.”
NET Trans drivers don’t just connect people to places; they connect people to possibilities.
NET Trans
First TN Human Resource Agency
