Acadian Ambulance Service Begins Non-Emergency Operations
November 9, 2026, 3:08 p.m.

Acadian Ambulance prepares to transport a patient. Image by Arcadia

KNOXVILLE - Acadian Ambulance Service, the nation’s largest employee-owned EMS agency, is expanding into East Tennessee by adding non-emergency transportation services in the Knoxville area effective November 9. This expansion gives residents and facilities additional access to high-quality, reliable, and compassionate medical transportation and care.

Founded in 1971, Acadian Ambulance provides emergency and non-emergency medical transportation services in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Tennessee. The company expanded into Tennessee in 2019 and currently provides service in Davidson, Rutherford, and Shelby Counties.

Acadian is well-positioned to bring its commitment to excellence to Knoxville. The company’s comprehensive EMS system includes:

• State-of-the-art ground ambulances equipped with the latest medical technology and staffed by highly trained paramedics and EMTs. Acadian has five ambulances licensed to operate in the Knoxville area.
• Staffing of more than 15 local team members in Knoxville.
• Advanced dispatch and communication systems that utilize cutting-edge technology for efficient patient call handling and resource deployment.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to expand our footprint into East Tennessee and the Knoxville community,” Acadian Ambulance President Justin Back said. "We look forward to becoming an integral part of the community’s healthcare infrastructure. We understand the critical role EMS plays in a community, and we are anxious to deliver exceptional service."

Since its founding in 1971, Acadian has grown from a small operation with two ambulances and eight medics to a multi-faceted company with eight diverse divisions specializing in medical transportation, prehospital care, mobile integrated healthcare, industrial health, safety and environmental services, training, consulting, dynamic security equipment and monitoring for homes and businesses, charter flight services, and world-class emergency medical services education.

The company is owned by its employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan and a member of the American Ambulance Association. Acadian’s diverse divisions also include Acadian Air Med, Executive Aircraft Charter Service, Acadian Total Security, National EMS Academy, Safety Management Systems and Acadian Health.

Acadian’s National EMS Academy offers EMT training at its campuses across Louisiana, Texas, and Tennessee. For more information on upcoming classes, visit www.BecomeAMedic.com.