Miles 4 Vets Transportation Program Gives Southern Virginia Veterans a Lift

Miles 4 Vets Southern Area Agency on Aging Offers free door-to-door transportation for local veterans
The Miles 4 Vets program through the Southern Area Agency on Aging offers free door-to-door transportation for local veterans in four counties to medical appointments, including weekly trips to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salem. Pictured with the Miles 4 Vets bus are Mobility Manager Mandy Folman, left, and Sam Robinson, who has been driving for the program since it began.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not slowed down a local veterans transportation program that provides free weekly trips to out-of-town medical appointments.

Every Wednesday, veterans in Martinsville-Henry County and surrounding areas can book a trip aboard the wheelchair accessible Miles 4 Vets bus to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salem. On Mondays, the bus travels to Danville’s Community Based Outpatient Clinic.

This is the sixth year of the program, which is run by the Southern Area Agency on Aging. Last year, the agency served 60 unduplicated riders with more than 700 trips, SAAA Mobility Manager Mandy Folman said.

“We’re on track to have similar numbers this year, despite the pandemic,” Folman said. “We appreciate our veterans and want to help them however we can.”

Miles 4 Vets contracts with Charis Transportation to provide door-to-door service, picking up clients and dropping them off at their homes. In addition to Martinsville and Henry County, the bus also serves residents of Franklin County, Danville and Pittsylvania County.

It does not travel to Patrick County, but veterans there are served by local volunteer drivers because “we don’t want to exclude them,” Folman said.

The mobility program also offers volunteer drivers and transportation vouchers to help veterans get to other medical appointments, both in and out of town.

Folman said the majority of participating veterans are “60 or older, or disabled. Many don’t have their own means to get there.”

She added that “Care from the VA has gotten a lot better in the past few years.”

State and federal funds cover much of the transportation costs, but Folman said the agency must fundraise to cover its local funding match requirement. The fifth annual Miles 4 Vets golf tournament fundraiser is planned for Friday, Sept. 11 at Forest Park County Club.

Kennith Moore, who served in the Army from 1974-1977, said he relies on the Miles 4 Vets service.

“To be honest, I have no license and no car. I wouldn’t be able to get to my appointments or to the VA without Miles 4 Vets,” Moore said.

Sam Benson, another Army veteran who served from 1977-1983, said not only is the program helpful, but the drivers are knowledgeable. He also called it “easy to set up.”

“One of the best things about Miles 4 Vets is being able to make one phone call to Mandy and it is set up,” Benson said.

Riding the bus Wednesday afternoon, an Air Force veteran who did not wish to give his name said he appreciates that Miles 4 Vets picks up riders and drops them off at their homes.

“It’s very convenient. They’re reliable and consistent,” he said.

Story originally published by Martinsville Bulletin.