Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families (2014)

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Page A-1 Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Appendix A Informaon on Transportaon Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families, Based on Research Project’s Phase 1 Group (Est. Size) Transportation Needs Issues and Information – From Literature and Phase 1 Project Research Veterans (22.6M) Needs vary by: Size of community where veterans live. Availability of public and private transportation options in community. Veterans’ own transportation resources and ability to independently drive. Whether enrolled in VA healthcare system (est. 38-40%), which may require long trip distances to access certain VA medical services. Subgroups of Veterans Older Veterans, Age 65+ (9.4M) Healthcare/medical appointments Generally considered most critical of trip needs. Trips for dialysis cited as a particular need. Particularly signi’icant for those living in rural areas and distant from VA medical facilities, as there are fewer transit services in rural and low-density areas. Trip needs have increased with greater VA reliance on outpatient care and sessions, requiring more frequent trips. Long distance trips by public transportation are dif’icult because transit services are provided in speci’ic geographic areas, so that transferring among services may be dif’icult or gaps may exist between services. DAV/VTN programs could meet more needs with certain improvements, most importantly more volunteer drivers, as reported by 86% of Phase 1 survey respondents; DAV/VTN programs not able now to meet all needs; 50% reported they are at capacity daily (20%) or weekly (30%). For those DAV/VTN programs that pick up only at designated pick-up points (21% of DAV/VTN programs according to the Phase 1 survey), veterans need access to and from the pick-up points. Trips to the pick-up points are often very early in the morning, and local community transportation services may not operate during those very early hours.

Appendix A Information on Transportation Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families Page A-2 Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Group (Est. Size) Transportation Needs Issues and Information – From Literature and Phase 1 Project Research (Healthcare/medical appointments, continued) VTS and VAMC Special Mode transportation is provided to limited number of veterans (Special Mode service has eligibility criteria). In one VAMC with an 85,000 patient base and 3,000 patient visits daily, the VA transports 60-80 veterans daily and its DAV/VTN program serves roughly a similar number daily. Mileage reimbursement of the VA’s Bene‰iciary Travel program is a very popular bene‰it, but of no value if the veteran cannot drive him or herself or is without someone who can drive. Shopping/personal errands/trip chaining Trips are needed for “other than healthcare,” as cited in the literature. Veterans traveling to urban areas for VA medical care would like local trips within the city. Social/recreation purposes Trips are needed for “other than healthcare,” as cited in the literature. Trips on the weekends and evenings are desired, as reported by survey of veterans in rural Wisconsin. Younger Veterans (13.2M below age 65; 2M from Iraq and Afghanistan) Healthcare/medical appointments Healthcare issues: anxiety/depression, post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injuries. Long trips required to treat certain conditions, such as TBI, as VA has congregated specialties at speci“ic facilities. 30% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans return to homes in rural areas, where distances to VA medical facilities require long trips and where there are fewer transportation options. Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in rural areas are cited as having particular issues with mental/behavioral health. Experience in Maryland and rural northern California found that transportation can be a problem for veterans’ access to behavioral health appointments. DAV/VTN programs may be an option for trips to VA medical facilities, however some programs are at capacity (50% according to the Phase 1 survey) and others (21%) serve only designated pick-up/drop-off locations, requiring trips to and from those locations to access the DAV/VTN service.

Appendix A Information on Transportation Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Page A-3 Group (Est. Size) Transportation Needs Issues and Information – From Literature and Phase 1 Project Research Employment/employment related Veterans of Iraq/Afghanistan wars living in rural areas have more dificulty inding jobs after separation from military. Dept. of Labor program staff through two programs to assist veterans (DVOP-Disabled Veterans Outreach Program and LVER-Local Veterans Employment Representatives) report transportation is a concern: the Phase 1 survey found that 20-30% of staff across all sizes of communities report transportation is a “major concern for most of the veterans” they assist; 40-50% said transportation is a major concern though for less than half of those assisted. DVOP/LVER staff report limited resources to assist veterans with transportation: most common assistance—35% of survey respondents—is “referral” to possible local options, such as public transit or a VSO; 31% indicate they have bus tickets or passes to offer for a limited time period; 19% report provision of gas card/gas funds for limited time period. Top three improvement options selected by DVOP/LVER staff: reimbursement/low-cost loan for vehicle repair (52%); vehicle donation program (50%); transportation service for trips beyond the community (47%). Veterans seeking employment from residential facilities, e.g., US Vets facility in southern California or VA residential drug treatment program in Oregon, are completely dependent upon local public transit or the willingness of staff to provide trips. Most entry-level jobs which these vets ind require very early or very late hours and weekend hours, which are times when many transit agencies have very limited or no service.

Appendix A Information on Transportation Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families Page A-4 Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Group (Est. Size) Transportation Needs Issues and Information – From Literature and Phase 1 Project Research Veterans with Disabilities (3.25M with service connected disability) Healthcare/medical appointments Depending on disability, trip to appropriate VA medical facility may be long distance, whether veteran is living in urban or rural area, as VA has congregated some medical specialties at speci­ic facilities. Veterans with disabilities may not know about accessible transportation options in the community, such as ADA paratransit, and might bene­it from travel training. Veterans with PTSD and TBI may not be comfortable using public transportation, so that more personalized options may be better, such as volunteer-based service. Accessible transportation needs for those using mobility devices DAV/VTN programs have very limited accessible vehicles. According to the Phase 1 survey, just 6% of DAV/VTN leet is accessible. The new VTS program is helping to meet the need for accessible transportation. Various trip needs for those in residential treatment programs, for substance abuse and other issues These veterans depend on their programs for transportation and on public transit, and have trip needs when the transit agency does not operate, particularly weekends and holidays. Women Veterans (8% of total) Healthcare-related trip needs impacted by childcare issues More than 10% of women veterans have to cancel/reschedule VA healthcare appointments because of a lack of childcare. Education-related Women veterans from Iraq/Afghanistan show increasing demand for education beneits. Minority Veterans (Native Americans 0.7-0.9% of total veterans) Trips from rural and frontier areas for healthcare/medical purposes 40% of Native American veterans live on geographically isolated and dispersed tribal lands or reservations, resulting in dificulties accessing quality medical care. Where DAV/VTN programs are available, they are generally able to serve Native American veterans on tribal lands, according to Phase 1 research: 20% of DAV/VTN program respondents reported they serve veterans on tribal lands and only three indicated any issues. One solution cited is to partner with community resources and collaborate with Indian Health Services, to address lack of transportation resources.

Appendix A Information on Transportation Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Page A-5 Group (Est. Size) Transportation Needs Issues and Information – From Literature and Phase 1 Project Research Homeless Veterans (Estimates range from 67,000 to 100,000 on any given night) Healthcare/medical appointments Trips between facilities serving homeless veterans are needed when these veterans are new enrollees in assistance programs, as they are reported unable to organize suf€iciently to understand public transit. Residential care providers are willing to transport veterans and, while transportation is a small part of per diem reimbursements from VA funding, there is little understanding of how to obtain vehicles either from FTA Section 5310 or vehicles retired from transit agencies. Residential care providers report various levels of awareness of ADA certi€ication processes for their formerly homeless veterans who are disabled. Employment related; other local trips The expansion of subsidized housing for homeless veterans (increase of HUD-VASH Section 8 vouchers from 7,000 in FY09 to 30,000 in FY10) makes connections between public housing authorities and public transit agencies important; such connections and possible projects can be fostered through the Human Services-Public Transit Coordinated Transportation Plan process. Work trips Homeless veterans who are assisted in €inding employment are reported as most likely to secure entry-level positions in retail and warehouse settings, often with very early morning or late evening shift changes when public transit is not operating.

Appendix A Information on Transportation Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families Page A-6 Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Group (Est. Size) Transportation Needs Issues and Information – From Literature and Phase 1 Project Research Student Veterans (Estimated 442,000 veterans and eligible beneiciaries enrolled in education programs in Fall 2012) Transportation needs vary by: Whether student veterans have a vehicle. Available transportation resources provided within the community or by the educational institution. Proximity of student veterans’ residence to campus. Post 9/11 G.I. Bill has expanded tuition beneits for veterans, with colleges and universities reporting a surge of veteran enrollees. A 2012 survey of the American Council on Education found 62% of responding colleges/universities provide programs and services speciically for veterans. The national organization, Student Veterans of America, has anecdotal reports of transportation issues for student veterans attending commuter colleges where there is not much housing around the school. Veterans returning to school in rural settings often face transportation challenges, particularly for evening classes that end outside operating hours of available smaller public transit providers. Families of Veterans/ Caregivers (10M) Healthcare/medical appointments for the veteran More than 8 in 10 family caregivers assist their veteran with transportation and would like help or options beyond taking the veteran themselves. Trips to hospital/medical facilities to visit their veteran For family members who do not have their own transportation, options for travel to and from the medical facilities are needed, particularly when veteran is hospitalized. Trips accompanying their veteran on DAV/VTN services for medical appointments According to the Phase 1 survey, 97% of DAV/VTN programs transport spouses/caregivers of veterans along with the veterans. When family member/caregiver accompanies veteran to facility and the veteran is hospitalized, the companion is completely reliant upon local transportation and usually with little knowledge and limited skills for using it. Surveyed DAV/VTN programs indicated varying levels of knowledge/familiarity with public transit in their area: only 26% are very familiar and 76% just somewhat familiar, suggesting that many have limited ability to provide detailed, trip-planning help to veterans’ family members.

Appendix A Information on Transportation Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Page A-7 Group (Est. Size) Transportation Needs Issues and Information – From Literature and Phase 1 Project Research Active Military (1.4M) Transportation needs vary by: Location of “home” military installation: in large or small urban area, rural/isolated area. Living on base or within the community. Whether single, married, living with children. At “home” base or assigned temporarily to a different base. Whether stateside or deployed. Transportation to the base/ military installation for work For active military commuting onto base in a large urban area, alternatives to private solo- occupant vehicles may be promoted to address congestion and meet community policies on congestion reduction/air quality goals; e.g., military installations in the Washington, DC region have active travel demand management (TDM) programs, supported by Federal government’s Transportation Incentive Program that subsidizes ‰ixed-route transit (bus, rail, commuter rail) and vanpools, at $245/month (as of 2013). These bases are served by various transit options which are well-utilized. Commuting onto bases in less urban settings is reportedly predominately in single occupant vehicles and motorcycles. While there is some congestion at the entrances (“gates”), experience at several bases located in less urban settings found little to no interest in public transit options for the work trip while in other locations, such as Fort Hunter Liggett on California’s Central Coast, public transit successfully operates long commuter routes onto the installations. Military contractors and civilian base employees, in addition to active military, are additional individuals who may have transportation needs for commuting to/from the base, and are also eligible for the Transportation Incentive Program. In urban areas, they contribute to the transit ridership numbers, and in less urban areas, they may have trip needs if they lack private transportation. At the Twenty-nine Palms, CA base, many civilian employees ride public transit from small communities near the base for their work trips, resulting in productive transit service. Current service does not meet needs for access to the base on weekend days.

Appendix A Information on Transportation Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families Page A-8 Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Group (Est. Size) Transportation Needs Issues and Information – From Literature and Phase 1 Project Research (Transportation to the base/ military installation for work, continued) Where public transit services are operated on- base, problems may occur with limited service hours that do not mirror military duty periods or because transit may not operate every day while some military are on seven-days-per-week schedules. Transportation for non-work trips for service members stationed at bases for training purposes for time-limited periods This group of service members is generally transit dependent, sent for 2-3 months of training from their “home” base to a different base and without their vehicles. For military bases that receive large numbers of such trainees, transportation options are needed particularly for weekend social/recreation trips. Transit agencies serving bases with large numbers of temporarily assigned trainees report that weekend service is among their most productive. Some bases, e.g., those in Twenty-nine Palms, CA and Jacksonville, NC, actively provide public transit information to help guide new service members once they arrive for short-term training. Transportation to regional airports and stations of other long distance transportation providers (Intercity buses, AMTRAK) Service members may need transportation to/from the airport, intercity bus service or AMTRAK stations when departing and returning to the base for leave or other trip purposes. Public transportation may be more convenient and cost-effective than leaving their vehicle at the airport or station, or a costly taxi trip.

Appendix A Information on Transportation Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Page A-9 Group (Est. Size) Transportation Needs Issues and Information – From Literature and Phase 1 Project Research Families on Base Transportation to access services on and off the base Transportation needs of active military families will vary greatly by rank, whether or not the spouse works, the number of children in the household, whether they are in on-base or off- base housing, and, for those on-base, the distances between and dispersion of housing and services. Public transit or military-sponsored bus services may or may not operate on military bases and, where such services do operate, services may not extend to serve family housing areas. At Fort Stewart, GA, bus services operate in the main base areas, but do not connect to family housing. The absence of reliable, regular transit limits the employment opportunities available to military family members and may prevent preschool children from attending preschool programs. Families may need trips to access services not available on base; e.g., a base in North Carolina has coordinated with the local community to include a route from the base into the community. A particular need for youth of military families to access destinations within the community during summer months was articulated by military leaders on the base. On-base family members’ needs to get to community college classes from a Marine base helped provide rational for a Southern California transit provider to extend operating hours to provide trips home from the last evening class, about 9:00 p.m. Families off Base Transportation to access services on base In general, families living off-base are denied the support network of surrounding military families that is found in on-base communities. Absent this support network, off-base families are often on their own in meeting unexpected challenges, including managing transport in unfamiliar cities. With large numbers of military families living off base, on average 70%, there may be transportation needs to access services on base provided at subsidized rates, particularly for families with only one vehicle when the service member uses the one vehicle to get to and from their duty site. Once on base, family members without an auto will often require transportation between service locations due to the dispersion of base facilities.

Appendix A Information on Transportation Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Families Page A-10 Community Tools to Improve Transportation Options for Veterans, Military Service Members, and Their Families Group (Est. Size) Transportation Needs Issues and Information – From Literature and Phase 1 Project Research Transportation within the community for various trip purposes Families with only one vehicle that is used by the service member for work trips will have various trip needs for access to services within the community, similar to any community resident with transportation needs. Information about and assistance accessing community transportation resources Military families move on average every three years, so they are often “new” in a community and would beneit from a centralized source of information/ assistance with available transportation options. Military families are reported to be overwhelmed by sheer number of support options provided by DoD, the Service branches and the community, suggesting that at least for transportation, easily accessed, centralized information on community transportation options would be beneicial. Military culture is reported as a factor preventing more families from seeking support and help. Transportation is not cited, but may be a topic that communities can facilitate for their local military families with information and assistance.

Abbreviations and acronyms used without definitions in TRB publications: A4A Airlines for America AAAE American Association of Airport Executives AASHO American Association of State Highway Officials AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ACI–NA Airports Council International–North America ACRP Airport Cooperative Research Program ADA Americans with Disabilities Act APTA American Public Transportation Association ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials ATA American Trucking Associations CTAA Community Transportation Association of America CTBSSP Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program DHS Department of Homeland Security DOE Department of Energy EPA Environmental Protection Agency FAA Federal Aviation Administration FHWA Federal Highway Administration FMCSA Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration FRA Federal Railroad Administration FTA Federal Transit Administration HMCRP Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ISTEA Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 ITE Institute of Transportation Engineers MAP-21 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (2012) NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASAO National Association of State Aviation Officials NCFRP National Cooperative Freight Research Program NCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research Program NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NTSB National Transportation Safety Board PHMSA Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration RITA Research and Innovative Technology Administration SAE Society of Automotive Engineers SAFETEA-LU Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (2005) TCRP Transit Cooperative Research Program TEA-21 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (1998) TRB Transportation Research Board TSA Transportation Security Administration U.S.DOT United States Department of Transportation