VA medical centers across the country run a program that provides transportation to Veterans who are unable to get to their appointments. It’s called the Volunteer Transportation Network, and it’s supported by the national Veteran service organization Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
The Center for Development & Civic Engagement (CDCE) offices and volunteer coordinators schedule transportation for these Veterans.
Veterans contact the coordinator through the local CDCE office and schedule a ride to their respective medical facilities. Upon the day of their appointment, a Volunteer Transportation Network driver will pick them up and drive them to and from their appointment.
That’s Tony Guerra in the photo above with the van he drives for Tomah VA.
Volunteer drivers behind the wheel 374,000 hours… seven million miles
With close to 3,000 Volunteer Transportation Network drivers logging in 374,860 hours and driving over seven million miles, volunteers are truly answering the call to provide this critical service.
In 2022, Volunteer Transportation Network drivers transported over 156,000 Veterans.
But there is still a need to do more. As Veterans are aging and combating injuries, the demand for transportation is growing. Volunteer opportunities always exist for Volunteer Transportation Network drivers. In addition to the process to become a volunteer, Volunteer Transportation Network drivers must have a valid driver’s license and pass a cost-free VA physical.
After processing, drivers will be provided access to either a Disabled American Veteran van or other government owned vehicle, to include a purchase card for fuel.
Helping Veterans with no other mode of transportation
We understand volunteers have various reasons to serve, and CDCE offices work diligently to recognize each volunteer and their passion throughout the year.
Many of the Volunteer Transportation Network drivers develop meaningful and long-lasting relationships with the Veterans they transport. Please consider starting your journey to becoming a Volunteer Transportation Network volunteer driver by visiting VA’s volunteer website.
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I’m 90 per cent disabled Retiree, and of Course a Veteran, if we use VA transportation to go to the Medical appointments can our Spouse use for her medical appointment also and will they wait or do we need to call VA back to get ride home
Not exactly sure of your needs or requirements but, I’m a Vet and I would most willing to do what I can. I live in Hebron KY, age 77, good health. Good driving record etc, etc.
I can still drive, just have a waking problem, assisted.
I am putting the word out to fellow employees here at the U.S. Army Materiel Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. I am volunteering myself. I am sure there are many other fellow vets who would like to provide some assistance as volunteer drivers.
Stopped using the van service both VA and DAV . Several times my appointments . Had to reschedule months in the future. Most of the time they never arrived or got me late to appointment. At that time I was on oxygen at high consumptions and would be first picked up for a2 hour trip and would run out of oxygen upon arrival .VA no longer offers exchange cylinders. Their insensitive response was take the metro and manhandle 5 large oxygen cylinders on my own or call UBER at 65.00 each way, or call the o2 provider to bring me replacements…they just laughed at me….there many more stories about transport service I can share. The service in my location inadequate for the severely disabled like my self….Eloy Ramirez…
I tried one year ago to be a volunteer driver, but was rejected after my physical. We are in critical need of drivers in our county. At present we are down to 4 and over 3700 miles we’re logged in in the first quarter of this year. We are 150 miles from our VA hospital. The current process to get qualified requires 4 seperate trips:
physical, background check and other steps. Why not simplify the process and combine all the elements. It would be cheaper and a lot easier for those volunteering. If they washout as I did, it’s just a matter of hitting the delete button. It’s probably no more than an hour of work for the staff conducting each step vs a whole day for the volunteers, many of whom are still employed but yet are willing to help.
It should be a government paid job just like the doctors and nurses get paid. You are doing a service for the veterans that should get paid by the government not total volunteer. And it should include the insurance as well for the drivers. It aggravates me when I see our government wasting billions of dollars on useless stuff but when it comes to important stuff they push it aside and go eat their $5000 lunch plate.
Sooooo true, I cannot agree more with you and your statement.
Despite all the negative comments that I have read here today, I think this is a great program to help other Vets that can’t drive themselves to there appointments. The VA has a lot of challenges to meet and I think there are a lot of VA employees that are trying there very best to support millions of us. Is this service being offered for OCONUS Vets as well?
TWIMC:
Says, ”Veterans contact the coordinator through the local CDCE office and schedule a ride to their respective medical facilities,” at https://news.va.gov/119342/volunteer-drivers-needed-for-veteran-patients/.
I’d love to call BUT there’s no ph. number!!
No phone here either:
va Center for Development and Civic Engagement (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Prince Taylor, Acting National Director)
https://www.volunteer.va.gov/
Oops!!
Please provide ASAP.
CDL Driver bus and hazmat first responder,I am willing to help when I can I am a veteran nam
If VA was a private health co they surely would be out of business. I started going to the VA for about 2 months and they had me fooled on how they “care” about the vet, blah blah. My pcp told me how she got screwed by VA and I believed every word, whats extremely hard for me. ONLY to find out everything she told me, over time I learned to be lies. So now I am trying to get all my doctors back through CC. VA is bought and paid for. I have been to 4 SO’s over the past 20 years only to find out that they are working against you! I geniunely feel bad for those that have to depend ON VA soley. THis is the nicest I can be!
They are great were I live. No problems at all. Very professional.
I would volunteer they should supply the van and pay the insurance and fuel. My township has a van and supplies seniors 55+ rides to stores, doctor appointments,ECT. If they change the rules on automobile insurance and pay it you have a volunteer.
Did you bother to even read the full article before you commented?
I would like to know more about volunteering to offer transportation, but I find the website an impossible labyrinth to navigate. Can’t there be an easier way to find out what the needs are in my area and then offer to provide service? By the way, what website are you asking for below?
To Ron Mintor.
Can you comment on how personal liability on yourself and your own personal insurance translates into liability on the transporting person transporting others within your “agreements?”
Thank you for sharing your insight. As a point of clarification, please clarify if volunteers which meet the personal liability or insurance requirements maybe subject to liability to passengers or other vehicular incidents while driving under the VA direction. Thank you
I hope the VA IS reading these comments!!!!
I was planning to start but not now,
VA is lacking to much responsibility!
O well!!
What a terrible promotion for volunteer VA drivers for veterans. Every link leads you to nowhere where you can obtain access to support this volunteer service.
I wish to become one of the drivers if you can give the opportunity. To assist the veterans.
Our veterans deserve the very best care each and every day. God bless all our veterans and all the individuals who partake in the caring of our veterans.
I was a driver for Anchorage Alaska VA. I would love to say I had fun. It was great. But to be honest it became a extremely difficult time. As a paid employee for the VA. It became terrible. They would pick and choose who got rides. Veterans are still being abused by Transportation. I filed a EEOC after my boss made accusations I was gay because I was a victim of molestation as a child. He would call me BROKE BACK in front of everyone. I’m now in a lawsuit against the VA. I am a firm believer that EVERY VETERAN deserves to be given the services needed to see Drs. That is why I took that job.
The VAs do not care about the volunteer drivers because technically they are not va employees therefore the do not count
Why would VA not provide their own insurance for Volunteer drivers?
I’m glad I read the comments. I was about to sign up and be happy to drive Vets to their Appointments, but it won’t be at my expense, especially if there’s an incident. I can barely afford my own insurance(not to mention my $1000 deductible), so I wouldn’t volunteer to place myself in potential hardships.
I’ll look more into this, but it’s a No-Go for me for now. VA definitely has the funds to provide insurance for their volunteer drivers. What kind of nonsense is that?!!
What this article doesn’t mention is that the dav requires the driver to use their own car insurance. I drove for the Madison, WI VA for a short time and realized I didn’t want the additional exposure on my insurance. The DAV puts 100% of the liability onto the driver’s car insurance. I would have loved to continue volunteering but not with the risk al on my insurance.
Thank you for sharing your concerns. As a point of clarification, please note the requirements currently in place for volunteer drivers are issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs, not DAV. Further, there is no insurance liability for a volunteer driver. The VA requires volunteers show proof of liability insurance only to validate that any potential driver is insurable. I hope this provides some clarification for you and others who may wish to volunteer as a driver within the Transportation Network. We also want to thank you for your willingness to volunteer and give back to those who served.
The VA could also pay drivers. I would do it if it was a paid position. Or make it easier to get community care and not have to deal with VA doctors who don’t listen and just want to rush through your visit.
Man some of you guys only think of yourselves. I think you owed everything thirty years after you discharged. Try being thankful for what we get.
With all your demands, you are defeating the “volunteer” part of the program. If they follow your demands then they should just ask people to submit a competitive application.
That’s BS. I tried volunteering as I amMy application was denied because I didn’t get a
VAX.
Lol You want to take senior citizens today appointments but you don’t want to get vax.. lol. They’re trying to make these veterans live longer.
The Bakersfield, CA doesn’t iffer Tia service?
I was a volunteer driver for many years while living in Tulsa, Oklahoma and enjoyed it. The VA in Bakersfield lacks so much offering veterans not much.
Or the VA could offer local care by law and vets could possibly pick a local doctor they can walk to and trust
I drive for the Jesse Brown VAMC (ABJ CBOC) and I love it! The service we provide is greatly appreciated by the Veterans. Driving allows me to continue serving Veterans and make life just a little easier for them. Many of these Veterans would not be able to make their appointments. Our program is well run with the best Service Chief and Supervisor I have ever had. Get paid for this? Nope. It is rewarding in the smiles, the handshakes and the thank yous.