The Otter Tail County Veterans Service Office operates a seven passenger van for the purpose of providing transportation to and from VA medical facilities for veterans who are unable to transport themselves. However, passengers must be able to travel on public transportation. We cannot accommodate persons who are wheelchair bound unless they are capable of transferring themselves from the wheelchair into the van. Our policy does not permit our volunteer drivers to lift or assist passengers into and out of the vehicle. We will not transport anyone with a serious acute medical condition. Our drivers are not EMT trained.

Our "hospital" van is regularly scheduled to the Fargo VAMC Monday-Friday. We ask that veterans wishing to avail themselves of this service make their appointments at these VA facilities no earlier that 10:00 am on these days. The van does not run on holidays or weekends, and is not used for emergencies.

A Veteran may be accompanied by a family member if their physical or mental condition warrants an escort. Due to the current high costs of fuel and maintenance, effective September 1, 2001 until further notice, passengers will be asked to pay the following fees: $30 for each trip to Fargo. These monies are placed in a county operated fund to maintain the program. The driver has remittance envelopes for this purpose.

The Otter Tail County van will transport veterans from other counties upon timely request provided that the arranged pick-up point is reasonably not out of the way, and if space is available. We ask that transportation arrangements be made at least 48 hours in advance of the medical appointment date.

For further details about our hospital transportation program, or to schedule a ride, contact the Transportation Coordinator at the (218) 998-8605. Please remember to call at least 48 hours before your appointment.