New Veterans Transportation Service

IRON MOUNTAIN – The Iron Mountain VA Medical Center’s new Veterans Transportation Service (VTS) is adding a round trip route to Eagle River, Wisconsin beginning February 27, 2012. VTS is designed to improve the quality of life for Veterans by overcoming transportation barriers and increasing their access to health care through efficient transportation assistance to the VA Medical Center and it’s Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).  

The new route will transport Veterans round trip from the Eagle River area to the Iron Mountain VA Medical Center on Mondays, and include stops in Florence, Crystal Falls, and Iron River.  Any veteran needing transportation is encouraged to schedule Monday appointments between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., in order to assure transportation availability. All Veterans qualify for this free service, and the VTS will strive to accommodate any Veteran who needs transportation to and from their scheduled appointments.

The VA Medical Center purchased two 13 passenger, wheel chair accessible buses to accommodate nearly all patients, including those using wheel chairs, oxygen tanks, and walkers.  In addition, nursing assistant escorts will be available to assist patients during transport.

VTS in no way replaces the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) vans currently being used throughout the U.P. and northern Wisconsin, but complements them. It not only adds another transportation option, especially for those with disabilities or in remote areas, but improves efficiency of all transportation resources by using ridesharing software and GPS units.

Veterans needing transportation assistance should call the Iron Mountain VA Transportation Coordinator, Isaac Armstrong, at 1-800-215-8262, ext. 33849 or isaac.armstrong@va.gov.