Enterprise-Wide Initiative (EWI) - Transportation
Veterans Transportation Service (VTS)
Background
Veterans Transportation Service (VTS) is part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Veterans Transportation Program. It provides safe and reliable rides so Veterans can get to their medical appointments. Veterans who are enrolled for VA health care and who need help with transportation can use VTS for rides to and from VA Medical Centers (VAMCs), Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), and authorized community health care providers.
VTS uses shuttles, passenger vehicles, and special vehicles that can carry Veterans who use wheelchairs or who need to lie on a stretcher. This service helps Veterans who do not have their own transportation because of money, health, or other reasons. It makes sure they can still get to the health care services they need.
Some Veterans have trouble traveling because they have limited mobility from a service-connected health condition or disability, or because they are blind. These Veterans may find it difficult or unsafe to drive or use public transportation to reach their medical visits. Rural and highly rural areas often have fewer health care options and fewer public transportation services. Long distances and difficult geography can create even more barriers to care.
To address the transportation needs of rural Veterans, the VHA Office of Rural Health (ORH) and VTS partnered in 2017 to create the VTS Enterprise-Wide Initiative (EWI). This partnership focuses on expanding and supporting transportation services so that more rural Veterans can reach VA and community care.
Goals and Objectives
The main goal of the VTS EWI is to remove lack of transportation as a barrier to health care access. The program is designed to make sure enrolled rural Veterans can get to VA and approved community care using convenient, safe, and dependable transportation.
By providing these rides, VTS helps Veterans keep appointments, follow treatment plans, and stay connected with their health care teams. This supports better health, improves Veterans’ experience with care, and helps them get the services they have earned.
Methodology
Participating VA Medical Centers offer VTS to help Veterans travel to VA facilities or to authorized non-VA appointments. The program is staffed by a team that can include a Mobility Manager, a Transportation Coordinator, Transportation Assistants, and Motor Vehicle Operators (drivers). Together, they plan and provide rides so Veterans can receive the care they need.
VTS funding supports leases for vehicles, salaries for drivers and mobility managers, and transportation that may include Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in ambulances for Veterans who need a higher level of support. Veterans work with their VA health care team to confirm that they are eligible for VTS and to coordinate transportation so that rides match the dates and times of their medical appointments.
Rides are scheduled based on the availability and capabilities of each local VTS program, and each site follows its own facility guidelines. Basic VTS ride requirements include:
- The rider must be a Veteran enrolled for VHA health care.
- A Veteran may be accompanied by one caregiver, spouse, or family member; in some locations, VTS may also allow a service animal.
- Transportation reservations usually must be made at least one day in advance.
Veterans can request transportation through VetRide, the VTS online platform that manages trip requests to and from health care facilities, or by calling their local VTS office. VetRide allows Veterans to register for services, request a ride, and receive notifications about the status of their trips.
Impact on Rural Veteran Health
VTS is committed to putting Veterans first and making sure they receive safe, reliable, and timely transportation to medical appointments. In fiscal year 2024, the VTS EWI supported transportation services for rural Veterans at 46 VA Medical Centers. During that year, VTS transported 17,184 rural Veterans to VA and community medical appointments, provided 80,352 rides to rural Veterans, and completed 114,097 trips serving rural and highly rural areas.
VTS fills an important gap in transportation in rural communities and supports Veterans’ overall health and well-being. Many drivers at rural VTS sites are Veterans themselves. Riding with other Veterans, including the driver and other passengers, often leads to positive social connections and high satisfaction with the service.
These connections to VA and to other Veterans are especially important for those who live far from urban centers and may feel isolated or “disconnected,” especially if they have limited internet access. Veterans who do not have transportation may be at higher risk for mental health concerns and substance use disorders. By helping Veterans reach appointments and follow-up care, VTS supports better mental and physical health outcomes.
In addition to the health benefits, VTS may also reduce costs related to long hospital stays, travel reimbursements, missed appointments, and emergency room visits. Veterans have shared that if they did not receive transportation through VTS, they simply would not be able to attend their appointments, which shows how vital this service is to their care.
VTS locations and local contact information are available on the VA website map of Veterans Transportation Program services, so Veterans and staff can find the nearest VTS site and learn how to request rides.
Key Takeaways
VTS provides needed transportation to eligible enrolled Veterans and is a vital service in rural and highly rural areas where public transportation options are limited. By transporting Veterans to and from medical appointments on time and safely, VTS helps ensure Veterans can access the care they need and supports their health and independence.
- Veterans who are eligible for VHA health care benefits are automatically eligible for VTS.
- Transportation through VTS is free for eligible Veterans.
- VTS can transport Veterans who are able to walk on their own, as well as Veterans who use wheelchairs or who need a stretcher.
- Veterans can request rides to VA-authorized appointments on their own through the VetRide platform: https://www.vetride.va.gov.
References
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans Transportation Services.
- Wing, K. L., & Boucher, P. K. (2023). Veterans Transportation Service best practices (VTS-BP) for systemwide implementation study: Final report, fiscal years 2021–2022. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Rural Health; Washington, DC.
- Fee A. L., Canlas J. S., Chen S., Audet M., Heart D. Assessing the benefits of transportation services to Veterans: Health benefits and cost savings provided by the Veterans Transportation Service. McLean, VA: MITRE Corporation; 2018.
Download the Printable PDF for Healthcare Providers and Researchers.
Contact
- Joseph “Lee” Cook, Acting Deputy Director, Veterans Transportation Program (VTP), VA Chief Business Office. VHAMSVTPFOTLeadership@va.gov
- Funding Acknowledgement: Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Rural Health, NOMAD #PRFY-00553.
- Suggested Citation: Chevalier, M., & Stevenson, L. (2024). Veterans Transportation Service (VTS). Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. Washington, DC: Office of Rural Health.
Rural Health - Navigation
- Office of Rural Health Home page:
https://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/index.asp - Enterprise-Wide Initiatives (EWI) page:
https://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/Enterprise-Wide-Initiatives-EWI.asp - Veterans Rural Health Resource Centers (VRHRC) page:
https://www.ruralhealth.va.gov/Veterans-Rural-Health-Resource-Center-VRHRC.asp
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