Southern Buncombe County offers a rare combination of convenience and calm. Medical offices, grocery stores, restaurants, and the airport all sit within a short drive, and the mountains are never far from view. That convenience means very little, though, when driving is no longer safe or possible. A 10-minute trip to a cardiologist becomes an all day logistics problem when it depends on a family member taking time off work or a shuttle that drops passengers at the curb and leaves.
Loyal Lifts exists to close that gap. We provide door to door, wheelchair accessible transportation for older adults and people living with disabilities in Arden and throughout Buncombe County. Our service is built for people who need more than a ride: assistance from inside the home, help navigating long medical corridors, a hand with bags and mobility equipment, and a driver who treats every passenger with dignity.
Door-to-Door Means Exactly That
Loyal Lifts carries premium insurance coverage, which allows us to go well beyond curbside service. Our driver comes to the door, assists the passenger into the vehicle, secures them safely, and provides the same level of help at the destination. That includes long hallways in medical buildings, entrances at retirement communities, and hospital rooms.
We also arrive without fanfare. Our vehicle has no backup alarms and no oversized disability graphics announcing itself to the neighborhood. Passengers ride in a customized luxury van with heated front seats, a sunroof, and forward facing seating, which means no awkward side entries and no feeling of being loaded into equipment. Only three passengers ride at a time, so no one is crowded and no one waits through a long chain of other stops.
Who We Serve in the South Asheville and Skyland Area
Our passengers come to us through many different circumstances, and the common thread is a need for reliable, respectful mobility support. We regularly transport:
- Older adults who have stopped driving but still want a full, active schedule
- People who use manual or motorized wheelchairs
- Individuals with permanent disabilities affecting mobility, vision, or stamina
- Patients recovering from surgery, injury, or illness who need temporary assistance
- Residents of continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities
- Family caregivers who need dependable backup when work or distance gets in the way
- Visitors staying in the region who require accessible transportation during their trip
You can read more about our full range of offerings on our services page, or learn about the family behind the company on our about page.
Medical Appointment Transportation
The majority of our rides involve healthcare. Non-emergency medical transportation is the heart of what we do, and it is where door to door service matters most. A passenger heading to an imaging appointment may need help from the bedroom to the van, help through a parking deck, and help finding the right suite on the third floor. Waiting rooms run late. Follow-up instructions get handed out at the desk. None of that fits neatly into a standard taxi model.
We provide transportation to and from:
- Primary care and specialist appointments
- Outpatient procedures and same-day surgery centers
- Physical therapy, rehabilitation, and wellness visits
- Dental and vision appointments
- Dialysis, infusion, and other recurring treatments
- Hospital discharges and returns to home or a care community
Recurring appointments deserve a recurring plan. We offer special rates for scheduled, repeating rides, which helps families budget and removes the weekly scramble to find a driver. Details are available on our medical transportation page.
Retirement Community and CCRC Transportation
Continuing care retirement communities in southern Buncombe County house residents with a wide range of mobility needs, and staff schedules rarely stretch far enough to cover individual outings. Our premium insurance coverage allows us to pick residents up directly from their rooms rather than meeting them in a lobby.
Communities interested in setting up a standing arrangement can review our CCRC transportation services and reach out to discuss recurring ride rates.
Airport Pickup and Regional Travel
Asheville Regional Airport sits just minutes from the Hendersonville Road corridor, which makes accessible airport transportation unusually practical for residents in this part of the county. We provide drop-off and pick-up at AVL, and we can also arrange longer trips to Charlotte Douglas International Airport or Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport when a connecting flight is not available locally.
Air travel with mobility equipment involves enough coordination without adding an unfamiliar driver and an inaccessible vehicle to the list. We help with luggage, assist to and from the terminal doors, and plan around traffic patterns we know well as local residents. More information is available on our airport pickup page.
Errands, Outings, and Special Occasions
Independence is not only about medical care. A ride to the grocery store or a granddaughter's wedding does as much for quality of life as any appointment. Our personal transportation service covers the ordinary and the memorable alike:
- Grocery and personal shopping trips, including help with bags
- Restaurant outings and family dinners
- Weddings, funerals, holiday gatherings, and family reunions
- Sightseeing and visits to area attractions
- Hotel transportation for visiting family and guests
Loyal Lifts is an authorized transportation service for the Grove Park Inn and other area hotels, and we serve as a personalized driver for shopping, dining, sightseeing, and day excursions. Learn more about these options through our personal transportation and tourist and hotel transportation pages.
How to Book a Ride
Scheduling is straightforward, and we handle the details so families do not have to.
- Reach out by phone or through our website. Call 828-674-6471 or use our contact page to start the conversation.
- Share the trip details. Tell us the pickup address, destination, appointment time, and any mobility equipment involved. Let us know if a wheelchair is needed, since we can provide one on request but do not carry one on every ride.
- Confirm the schedule. We coordinate pickup timing to allow for traffic and building navigation, and we confirm the arrangement with you in advance.
- Ride with assistance from door to door. Your driver arrives at the door, assists into the vehicle, and stays with the plan through drop-off and return.
- Set up recurring rides if needed. Ask about our special rates for scheduled, repeating trips.
Our standard hours are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Weekend and after-hours service is available for additional fees when scheduling allows, so it is worth asking.
Why Families Choose Loyal Lifts
We are family owned, locally rooted, and small by design. Owner Keith Wells started the company after surviving both throat and colon cancer, with the goal of providing transportation that treats people with respect rather than treating them as cargo. That intention shows up in the details: consistent drivers who learn a passenger's preferences, a vehicle that feels like a private car rather than a medical transport, and communication that keeps families informed.
Because we know the area, we anticipate traffic patterns along the main corridors and reroute when needed. Because we carry premium insurance, we can help in places other services cannot go. Because we limit the number of passengers per trip, nobody sits through an hour of detours to reach a fifteen minute appointment. You can read what our clients have written about their experiences on our testimonials page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you serve areas outside Buncombe County?
Yes. Our door to door service covers Buncombe and surrounding counties, including communities such as Hendersonville, Weaverville, and Fletcher. Rates outside Buncombe County differ from our standard structure, so contact us for a quote on your specific route.
Can you transport someone who uses a motorized wheelchair?
Yes. Our vehicle accommodates both manual and motorized wheelchairs, and passengers are secured facing forward. If you do not have a chair available for a particular trip, we can provide one on request, though we do not carry a wheelchair on every ride.
How much does a ride cost?
Pricing depends on distance, wait time, and whether the trip falls outside Buncombe County. We are happy to provide an estimate before you book, and first-time riders receive a discount on the service fee. Reach out through our contact page for current rates.
How far in advance should I schedule?
Earlier is better, particularly for recurring medical appointments, weekend travel, and airport trips. That said, we encourage you to call even on shorter notice, since availability varies day to day.
Do you help with luggage, groceries, and mobility equipment?
Yes. Assistance with bags, packages, and equipment is part of door to door service rather than an add-on. This is one of the main differences between our approach and standard curbside transportation.
Can a family member or caregiver ride along?
Yes. Our vehicle carries up to three passengers at a time, which leaves room for a companion on most trips. Mention it when booking so we can plan seating.
Schedule Transportation That Restores Independence
Losing the ability to drive should not mean losing access to healthcare, family, or the ordinary pleasures of daily life. Whether the need is a weekly treatment, a trip to the airport, or a long-overdue dinner out, we bring the same care to every ride.
Call Loyal Lifts at 828-674-6471 or visit our contact page to arrange transportation. For more ideas on staying mobile and engaged, our articles on maintaining autonomy with limited mobility and medical appointment transportation for caregivers are good places to start.