WELLNESS WAGON WILL RESUME BOOKING RIDES ON JULY 15
The Wellness Wagon is a Brown EMS service providing enrolled students with a transportation option for Health and Wellness related appointments.
We are staffed by authorized drivers who are part of our BEMS campus emergency services team.
Our goal is to provide a no cost and community based option to enrolled students who might otherwise experience barriers to the standard ride services.
Because we serve the entire student community, we cannot guarantee rides that are outside the City of Providence, unless there is a significant clinical need such as a limited availability specialist, etc.
Rides to Wellness Center or SAS appointments when regular campus options are not appropriate or available.
Rides to Wellness-related off campus services and urgent care facilities when campus options are not available or appropriate.
Rides to off campus mental health appointments or programs.
Rides to off campus specialists in the greater Providence and nearby RI areas.
Rides to physical therapy appointments.
Wellness Wagon cannot replace certain services provided by the SAS Shuttle, such as accommodating full-sized or motorized wheelchairs or large mobility devices. We do carry a folding wheelchair for temporary use by our riders, but we cannot transport personal chairs and equipment as our vehicle is not currently outfitted for that usage.
Wellness Wagon should not replace existing campus services such as the shuttles (BUS) unless those are not available and getting across campus on your own is not an option.
Wellness Wagon does not book rides outside a reasonable distance (15 miles or within 15 minutes drive time) unless there is a medically significant reason, such as the only specialist available is an hour away. Please discuss local options with your Health Services provider.
Wellness Wagon does not provide rides outside the State of RI; special requests from a clinical provider may be considered.
Wellness Wagon does not book rides outside our regular business hours, as we are not staffed with drivers outside those hours.
All Brown students are expected to honor the Code of Student Conduct; this includes our drivers and our passengers. Violations of the Code of Student Conduct will be addressed according to Brown standard procedures.
Like any ride service, Wellness Wagon expects passengers to honor some basic rules of etiquette:
Be respectful of time and understanding of delays; we are providing these no cost rides to many students, and we do our best to fulfill every request. We cannot control traffic delays. If your appointment runs over, we may ask you to find an alternative ride if the delay will impact other scheduled rides.
Be respectful of the driver. Our drivers are Brown students, or rarely Brown employees, and this is our job. It is not appropriate to treat drivers as someone you are meeting in a social setting. While we enjoy chatting with passengers, we maintain professional boundaries and really appreciate that our passengers will do the same.
Be respectful of the car. Wellness Wagon carries some supplies for passenger comfort (masks, tissues, hand sanitizer) but we expect passengers to keep the area clean and remove their own trash when they exit the vehicle. Closed food and non-alcoholic beverage containers are permitted, but please do not eat in the vehicle.
Be sure to pre-book any special needs. This includes mobility devices that we will need to transport, extra passengers, or animals.
Service animals and ESAs must be pre-booked and appropriately restrained for their safety as well as ours. Small animals should be in a carrier. Dogs should be leashed, preferably with a seat belt system so we can safely secure them in the car. Wellness Wagon does have an available carrier and seatbelt, so please request as needed.
Passenger comments and concerns can be shared via our Welly Feedback Form. Thank you!
Sick Support Delivery for need-based meal or pharmacy support identified by a clinical provider or nurse; please contact Health Services to be registered for this option. 401-863-1330.
BEMS Buddy accompaniments for students requesting a little extra support for off campus appointments. Students receiving Wellness Wagon rides are always welcome to bring a buddy; BEMS can provide someone with community care training if that is preferable. Please let us know at least one week ahead of time if you would like a BEMS Buddy.
Welly Wag Weekends is a pre-booked shuttle service to connect students who are not on meal plan with affordable and appropriate grocery options. This service is available most weekends during the regular academic sessions (fall and spring).
Note that driver shift change is at 1pm so plan accordingly for times.
Morning rides must be completed before 12:45pm
Afternoon/evening rides must be completed before 6:45pm
Monday 7am to 7pm
Tuesday 7am to 7pm
Wednesday 7am to 7pm
Thursday 7am to 7pm
Friday 7am to 7pm
Thanksgiving break closed Wednesday-Sunday
Winter break closed during the Brown administrative pause
Spring break regular hours M-F
CLOSED: May 22-July 15 and August 10-14
Note that driver shift change is at 1pm so plan accordingly for times.
Morning rides must be completed before 12:45pm
Afternoon/evening rides must be completed before 6:45pm
Monday 7am to 7pm
Tuesday 7am to 7pm
Wednesday 7am to 7pm
Thursday 7am to 7pm
Friday 7am to 7pm
Wellness Wagon requires pre-booking for individual student requests.
It is important to make your ride request at least 3 business days ahead of the pick up date; Wellness Wagon is closed on Weekends, so rides for the following Monday must be requested no later than the Wednesday before.
One week notice is required for BEMS Buddy requests.
We cannot schedule rides without advance booking. Same day requests by students cannot be fulfilled.
Due to the volume of requests, you may be asked to share your ride with another student, or adjust your times.
Requests for unexpected/unplanned urgent care appointments may be coordinated through a Health and Wellness office, who will call the Wellness Wagon on your behalf. We cannot guarantee availability, but we work closely with campus partners to meet all health and wellness related needs.
For recurring rides, please enter each date as an individual request on our booking form as soon as you know the dates and times. Thank you!
When you submit a form to pre-book a ride, your request will automatically generate a calendar event that will be sent to you as an invitation. If you do not receive a calendar event due to a system glitch, Wellness Wagon will confirm with you via email or text.
To confirm that you do indeed need the ride, please accept the calendar invitation within 24 hours to hold your spot. Please decline the invitation to cancel your ride, or call Wellness Wagon during business hours. Note: Wellness Wagon reviews calendar requests within 24 hours of advance booking, and we will cancel your ride with a note if it cannot be fulfilled due to ride volume, scheduling conflicts, or destination.
The driver should call or text you a few minutes before your ride to confirm the pickup location.
If you do not reply to Wellness Wagon communications, or if you are not at the pickup location within 10 minutes of the confirmed time, your ride is assumed to be canceled.
Call the Wellness Wagon phone to update the driver. 401-489-8301
Decline the calendar invitation that you received upon booking your ride.
To change an existing ride, please enter a new request after declining the invitation to the first one. If the change is last minute, such as a pick up location, please call the Wellness Wagon phone.
Submit your request AT LEAST THREE BUSINESS DAYS (M-F) before the date of your appointment. Wellness Wagon bookings are not managed during weekends.