About Us

Eleven years of treating every patient like family.

Sylhet Ambulance Service was built around a simple frustration with the way medical transport had been done in Houston — and a stubborn belief that we could do it better, one patient at a time.

Our story

It started with one van and a phone book.

In 2014, Osvaldo Martinez left a dispatcher role at a large national transport company and bought a single used wheelchair van. He had spent the previous six years watching the same patients get late pickups, gruff handoffs, and bills they didn't understand. The first month, he ran every trip himself — driver, scheduler, and accountant.

Eleven years later, Sylhet Ambulance Service operates a fleet of seven vehicles out of a small garage on Chapel Street in the Westchase corridor. We are still family-run. Osvaldo still answers after-hours calls. The dispatcher who picks up at 3 a.m. is the same person you'll see at the office at noon.

The name comes from Osvaldo's wife's hometown — Sylhet, in northeastern Bangladesh — a city known for its tea gardens and its hospitality. We took the name as a daily reminder of what hospitality is supposed to feel like.

Our values

Four habits we will not compromise on.

Punctuality

A late ride to dialysis means a missed treatment. We track every pickup against a 10-minute early target and review misses weekly.

Dignity

We knock, introduce ourselves, and ask before we touch. Patients ride in clean cabins with their own blanket and a crew member at their side.

Honesty

We quote prices in writing and never add surprise fees. If insurance won't cover a trip, you'll know before we dispatch — not after.

Steadiness

Same crews on standing orders. Same dispatcher voice when you call. Continuity matters when a family is already overwhelmed.

Leadership

Meet the owner

Osvaldo Martinez — Founder & Operations Director

Osvaldo was born in Veracruz, Mexico, and moved to Houston at sixteen. He spent eight years working overnight at the Texas Medical Center as a patient transporter, then six more dispatching for a regional NEMT fleet. He holds an EMR certification and is a member of the National EMS Management Association. Outside of work, he coaches his son's little-league team in Spring Branch and is — by his own admission — a mediocre but committed home cook.

Osvaldo is reachable directly during business hours at (281) 703-3126 or via email at help@sylhetambulanceservice.com. He reads every customer note personally.

Compliance

Certifications and insurance

ItemStatus
Texas DOT PermitActive
City of Houston Vehicle-for-HireActive
Commercial Auto Liability$1,500,000 / occurrence
Professional Liability$1,000,000 / claim
Workers' CompensationCovered (Texas Mutual)
HIPAA trainingAnnual, all staff
Background checksEvery crew member
Vehicle inspectionsQuarterly, third-party