Having a disability and needing certified transportation to a doctor’s office or just to the grocery store can be a major burden on the Big Island. Having a disability and needing certified transportation to a doctor’s office or just to
Having a disability and needing certified transportation to a doctor’s office or just to the grocery store can be a major burden on the Big Island.
A normal vehicle will not work because the labors of getting in and out is too cumbersome and may result in further injury and discomfort.
Now, imagine going through the rigors of scheduling a trip and that ride simply not showing up. That’s the situation Nik Krasvkiy found himself in, and led to him to starting Premier Transportation, a new fully insured taxi service that caters to those in unique circumstances.
“I had to take a client for a doctor visit and the van that was suppose to take them there didn’t show,” said Krasvkiy, a certified nursing assistant and home health aide. “From that point on, I asked myself why it was so hard to coordinate. I talked to all the offices and realized there was a very big need for handicap transportation on the Big Island.”
After doing the research, Krasvkiy began the long process of getting licensed and insured.
“Purchasing the vehicle and insurance were the biggest cost,” Krasvkiy said. “The process was very long. I had to get state approval, safety checks and approval from the Public Utility Commission.”
Since Krasvkiy was basically an amateur in the transportation field, his insurance cost was higher than normal. He compared his situation to a 16-year-old trying to get car insurance.
“Transportation is the No. 1 priority for every district on the island and has been for as long as I can remember,” said County Executive On Aging Alan Parker. “There is a huge need because of the size of the island and distance between districts. “
Premier Transportation is only the third company that caters to passengers with special needs, according to Krasvkiy.
Premier Transportation has only one vehicle right now; however, that vehicle is a state-of-the-art MercedesSprinter van, equipped with a lift for wheelchair passengers.
Krasvkiy said the van can house one wheelchair passenger comfortably, but if need be, he could carry two. The van is also suitable to carry up to seven non-wheelchair passengers.
Krasvkiy is not worried about the growth opportunity for his business because he knows it fulfills a need.
“There is not enough service here on the island,” Krasvkiy said. “The need will grow because the age of the population is reaching that point. Once people get to know me word will spread — that’s how that community works.”
Parker echoed Krasvkiy’s thoughts, saying it’s an issue that needs attention.
“It provides trips for shopping and health, but what is in place now comes nowhere near meeting the need,” Parker said. “Additional transportation and a better coordinated system are needed. Some of the things they are looking at are getting the smaller organizations together and having a dispatch service.”
Premier Transportation charges a one-time, $20 fee for wheelchair loading and then $2 per mile after that. The fee for a walking patron is only $9.
Krasvkiy is not planning on just serving a specific area of the island, and is willing to travel for people who need his service.
“I am not trying to stay within a small proximity,” Krasvkiy said. “I’m only charging people while they are in the vehicle, not the trip to them. I will go all over the island. We are really trying to fulfill the need — the need I’ve seen it first hand.”
For more information, call 854-1082 or email PremierTransHawaii@gmail.com.
