Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 60
and to maintain. If there is no compelling need for larger vehicles, one may consider using smaller
vehicles. For instance, one VSO used a 15-passenger van and a 17-passenger bus when the average
number of passengers per vehicle was 5. Other regions have hired taxicab companies to transport
veterans individually. In some instances, they were able to reduce costs per trip and provide veterans
with quality service; in other situations, transporting only one passenger at a time proved to be
extremely expensive. There is no "one size fits all" solution to improving the mobility of veterans;
each community should find the program that works best for them given existing needs, resources,
and constraints.
Misconception # 5: Veterans Who Cannot Be Treated in One VAMC Must Be
Transported to Another VAMC and Cannot Be Treated at a Local Non-VA Site
Veterans often have to travel long distances to get to the nearest VAMC from their homes, but the
nearest VAMC may not offer the kinds of service veterans need. When veterans cannot get
treatments from a nearby VAMC or other government facility, VHA may work with a non-VHA
facility to treat veterans. One permissible occasion for such arrangement is when a VHA facility is
not within reasonable geographic proximity. While it is unknown how frequently this practice
occurs, it definitely saves transportation costs, especially for long-distance travel. The VA Medical
Center in Indianapolis has developed a computer program that lists the kinds of care offered at
VAMCs, CBOCs, and local community facilities. When scheduling medical trips, the VAMC will
advise veterans of the closest facility that offers the medical care needed. If appropriate, the VAMC
will coordinate with medical staff to arrange transportation associated with non-VA care or VA care
that is close to the patient's residence.
STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING VETERANS' MOBILITY
This section on strategies for improving mobility for veterans is intended for transportation
professionals, including public or private providers, who currently work with veterans or who wish
to establish a business relationship with the veterans' community. Some strategies may only apply to
certain types of transportation providers. Others, however, may be broadly applied to many
providers. VSOs should also be aware of all of these strategies. The following pages discuss
operational strategies and coordination strategies for community transportation providers.
60
OCR for page 61
Operational Strategies
Offer Reduced Fares for Veterans and Other Service Members
Some transit agencies offer free or reduced fares to veterans who ride fixed route services. The Bay
Area Rapid Transit (BART) system in California allows active duty military personnel to ride free on
BART, which helps veterans and creates good will.
Offer Flat-rate Rides for Veterans
Some transportation providers have established contracts with the local VAMCs. As part of their
contractual work, transportation providers receive regular trip requests and are able to increase their
overall volume of business. This enables them to offer flat-rate rides to veterans. For VAMCs, this
kind of arrangement eliminates the unpredictability of billing for rides by other methods, and
veterans continue to receive quality service. For example, Indianapolis Yellow Cab has a contract
with its local VAMC under which the taxi drivers serve veterans with flat-rate fares.
Institute Competitive Contracting
VAMCs and VSOs that purchase transportation services from transportation providers may benefit
from competitively bidding transportation services for veterans. Agencies serving veterans can
decide what contractual mechanisms would work better for them--mileage-based, trip-based,
hourly-based, or fixed rate are pricing options that trip purchasing agencies can adopt--and find
vendor(s) that can work with the agency. Alternatively, instead of asking the vendors to bid on one
particular payment method, veterans' agencies can be flexible about finding the best options for
them by crafting requests for services that allow the vendor to propose different pricing
mechanisms. In addition to pricing, trip purchasers may work with multiple vendors to create a
competitive environment to ensure high-quality customer service.
Provide Dispatching Services for a Veterans Service Agency
Transit agencies or transportation vendors have professional dispatching capability. Other
transportation providers may be able to offer rides but cannot keep up with in-house technology.
61
OCR for page 62
These small agencies could develop working relationships with transit agencies so that dispatching
can be done by the experts. In a similar fashion, call center responsibilities could be fulfilled by an
agency that has full-time staff devoted to that purpose.
VSOs Should Work with Other Agencies with Transportation Programs
Veterans' service organizations often provide many services other than transportation. Sometimes
their organizational structure or scope of activities may not allow them to provide transportation for
their veterans. However, they can work with other entities that have transportation components,
which may include other VSOs, non-profits, and public or private transportation providers.
Provide Trips to Local VAMCs
Local transit and paratransit services can actively work with veteran communities. Significant
numbers of paratransit riders might also be veterans; transit and paratransit services could provide
trips to local VAMCs for veterans within the scope of their current services. In Iowa, a rural
veterans' clinic was closed and veterans formerly using that clinic then needed to travel to Des
Moines instead. Des Moines Area Regional Transit (DART) established a bus link directly from the
closed medical clinic to the VAMC in Des Moines, providing rural veterans with continuity of care
in the services they received. (See page 46 for more information.)
Provide Feeder Service to DAV Vans
Sometimes existing services need a little help in maintaining or improving services. In 2009, a
Washington state bridge closure would have adversely affect DAV transportation programs
accessing services in Seattle. The state DOT, working with local VAMC and DAV offices, devised a
plan for veterans to access mainland services using existing DOT rural public transit routes which
would link on the mainland with DAV vehicles which would transport veterans to the VAMC. A
voucher-based subsidy was used to fund the transaction. The rural public transit services did not
have to change their operation to accommodate veterans and the DAV vehicles were made more
effective by eliminating a major part of their typical mileage. (See page 48 for more information.)
62
OCR for page 63
Offer Advance Scheduled Out-of-County Trips to VAMCs
Transit agencies are in a position to add one more service line as long as there are enough
customers. The Ocean Ride transit service operates an advance scheduled service for veterans. Each
day of the week, veterans can travel to specific out-of-county destinations on a specific schedule.
This type of advanced scheduling allows the transit agency to offer trips beyond county lines and has
been a great resource for veterans whose nearest VA medical care is outside of their county. (See
page 43 for more information.)
Offer Assistance in Vehicle Acquisition
Public transit and other transportation agencies may be in a position to include VSOs in capital
acquisition plans or to transfer older vehicles to VSOs. These actions could take a large
responsibility from the VSOs and enable them to focus resources on other activities. Community
transportation providers could assist VSOs by referring them to the National Rural Transit
Assistance Program (National RTAP) and other transportation industry resources. One of National
RTAP's recent publications is How to Buy a Vehicle; it contains a wealth of information about
vehicles, relevant funding programs, and possible procurement programs.43 Both VSOs and
VAMCs should be seen as contact points for the distribution of such information.
Share Resources for Driver Training
Transit agencies can offer their driver training programs to other drivers from smaller agencies.
Volunteer driver programs can exchange information on driver training and share training
responsibility among them. VAMCs can send their drivers to one of the transit agencies or to
medical transportation providers to get professional training for the drivers. This will save
management's time spent on developing the training materials and actually training the drivers.
43 See http://www.nationalrtap.org/FeatureDetailsaspx.aspx?id=262&org=a2GSpnDbruI=.
63
OCR for page 64
Target Marketing Efforts to Veterans
Sometimes veterans do not know what services are available to them, or they may be only aware of
one service but not others. In order for veterans to learn about the existing transportation programs,
transportation providers are encouraged to reach out to veterans' communities, to veterans'
national/local events, and to work with veterans' organizations to get the words out.
Inform VSOs About FTA's Section 5310 Program
Veterans' organizations need to know about Federal Transit Administration's ( FTA's) various
programs, including the Section 5310 program that provides assistance for vehicle and other capital
purchases for agencies (primarily nonprofit agencies) that serve seniors and persons with disabilities.
This could serve as an additional source of capital funds for VSOs that are providing trips for
veterans. One important proviso is that FTA funds are intended for the use of all riders, so that it
would not be possible for the VSOs to restrict the use of the vehicles to veterans alone. (See also
the Vehicle Acquisition section above.)
Coordination Strategies for Community Transportation Providers
Besides the operational strategies listed above, community transportation providers may need to
adopt a variety of coordination strategies if they are interested in greater levels of coordination with
agencies that are now offering transportation services to veterans. The following strategies are
suggested for improving coordination:
Be proactive: Get to know the veterans' agencies and providers in your community.
Gather information and research the operations of these organizations.
See where you can assist: If you offer to help solve problems rather than take over
services, your efforts are likely to be more successful. Focus on several key issues:
o Veterans with mobility disabilities: Current veterans' transportation services tend to
focus on ambulatory riders; veterans with special travel needs can benefit from
public transportation services.
o Long-distance trips: Particularly in rural areas, long-distance trips can be a challenge
for any transportation provider. The coordination of long-distance trips could serve
the public and veterans at the same time, greatly enhancing the cost-effectiveness of
both operations.
64
