Driving a car to put children through college

Mahfuz Fulli, an Ethiopian-born resident of Maine since 1992, is the hardworking owner of Maine Transportation Services (MTS), which subcontracts from Modivcare, a national healthcare company. Fulli is pleased to have found a way to earn enough money to put his two children through college and perform work that helps others – all while enjoying what he does. 

His company provides non-emergency medical transportation for Mainers, and Fulli fills many roles – as dispatcher, manager, and driver. People looking to get to methadone and recovery clinics, substance use programs, general doctor appointments, dialysis appointments, and even daytime programs for those with learning disabilities are Fulli’s primary clients.

“I get up at 3:30 in the morning to work. We’ve been transporting [clients] for a long time. … I love dealing with different people. I’m good with people. I like people.” – Mahfuz Fulli.

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About his line of work and the services he provides for those who need transportation for medical services between Biddeford, Westbrook, or Portland, Fulli said, “I get up at 3:30 in the morning to work. We’ve been transporting [clients] for a long time. … I love dealing with different people. I’m good with people. I like people.”

As a subcontractor for Modivcare, Fulli has been able to put his kids through college, pay his mortgage, and afford a vehicle for his son. Describing himself as “not a vacation guy,” Fulli said he visits Ethiopia occasionally, adding, “When I go to Ethiopia, I can’t wait to get back!” He sees corruption and unfairness in his country of origin, and complained that there is “not an even playing field” in Ethiopia, unlike what he has experienced in Maine. “Maine is my home,” he said.

Still, he enjoys connections with those who come to Maine from backgrounds similar to his and said his business has attracted drivers and workers from countries like Chile and Jordan and Iraq, as well as Ethiopia. “I came from [an] old country – Ethiopia – very conservative, you know, and I mean very conservative.”

Fulli looks forward to continuing to work as a manager, driver, and dispatcher for Maine Transportation Services and Modivcare. His hope is that five years from now, when he is 62 years old, he’ll be able to retire. 

Myra Orifice, Senior Director of Maine Operations at Modivcare since 2013, said that of the company’s 43 subcontractors in Maine, 85% are immigrant-owned. 

“We know how important immigrants are to Maine – without this group we would never succeed. We don’t have any other [people] coming forward saying they want to do trips. We educate and train, and if someone makes a mistake, we bring them in to be sure they understand the expectations. About 98% make it – the others we remove,” Orifice said. This was the case with one driver who was found to be speeding while transporting a client. Orifice said that driver was dismissed as soon as a complaint was made.

The Maine Monitor reported numerous complaints against Modivcare in a September article by Adrienne Washington, including the speeding driver incident, all of which Orifice disputed.  

Orifice is discussing with Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services the possibility of  creating a pilot program that would provide group rides – ideally accompanied by a cultural navigator – for people newly arrived from other countries who need to get to medical appointments. For example, she said, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center, Portland, offers vaccines on Tuesdays from noon-3 p.m. “But it’s confusing … to go to a big Maine hospital with no one to help you,” Orifice said, which is where the idea of a group ride program comes in. The pilot is still in the idea stage.