Photo By Jennifer Scales | Jordan Bierce, VTS motor vehicle operator, and acting Chief of VTS, Glen Cook, take a...... read more read more
Veterans in the Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System are welcome to listen to, but they can ignore the lyrics in one of the popular Beatles songs, “Ticket to Ride”©, as tickets or money is not required if they use the services offered by the Veterans Transportation Service.
VTS is in full operation at the Omaha VA Medical Center and by mid-July, will also be in place at the Grand Island, Nebraska location. This free service picks Veterans up from their homes, delivers them to their VA scheduled appointments, and transports them back to their residence.
Glen Cook, acting chief of VTS for NWIHCS explained the benefits of using the service. “Sometimes Veterans can’t drive or don’t have gas money for their own vehicle to get to appointments. By calling VTS, we can take them and their caregiver to their scheduled, non-emergency VA appointment.”
Wheelchair bound Veterans will find that there is space and access for their transport also.
“But rides are on a ‘first come-first serve’ basis,” Cook said. Many times there are more requests for rides than there are vehicles available.
These modes of transportation are often the only way, for those who have served our nation and need medical attention, to get to appointments.
The very first vans the health system received are still in operation, but they will accept donations of vans also.
“VTS does not replace the Disabled American Veteran shuttle service,” Cook added. “We are just another source for helping and ensuring Veterans get to the care they sometimes so often need.”
Veterans who need transportation, or if someone wants to consider donating a van to the NWIHCS Veterans Transportation Service, should call 402.995.4469.
(WRITER’S NOTE: For those too young or who may need to reminisce, lyrics referenced are: “He’s got a ticket to ride, he’s got a ticket to ride, he’s got a ticket to ride, and he don’t care.” ©)
| Date Taken: | 06.22.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.22.2018 17:53 |
| Story ID: | 282028 |
| Location: | OMAHA, NEBRASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 382 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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