Submitted by Carl Jowers
The Fort Scott dialysis center recently closed. There were several Bourbon County Veterans who would not have been able to travel for dialysis treatment in Pittsburg.
The VA allowed me to repurpose the Fort Scott- Topeka/KC shuttle service to transport these Veterans to Pittsburg for dialysis treatment.
With the new schedule, the Fort Scott VA shuttle will only be able to transport veterans to Topeka or KC two days a week.
The shuttle will still stop at Pleasanton, Louisburg and Ottawa on Mondays and Wednesdays to pick up Veterans needing rides to Topeka or KC.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Carl Jowers. Shuttle Coordinator.
Fort Scott VA Shuttle
The local Fort Scott VA shuttle began transporting area Veterans from Fort Scott to Pittsburg for dialysis treatment on Thursday, October 3, 2019.
The new VA shuttle schedule is as follows:
· Mondays. Fort Scott to Kansas City or Topeka VA Hospital.
· Tuesdays. Fort Scott to Pittsburg Dialysis Center.
· Wednesdays. Fort Scott to Kansas City or Topeka VA Hospital.
· Thursdays. Fort Scott to Pittsburg Dialysis Center.
· Saturdays. Fort Scott to Pittsburg Dialysis Center.
The Monday and Wednesday VA shuttle can stop in Pleasanton, Louisburg and Ottawa to pick up Veterans needing rides to Topeka or KC.
Veterans needing a shuttle ride for their VA medical appointments must call 785.925.0261 to schedule a shuttle seat or more information.
Additional shuttle drivers are also needed.
Drivers will be using a VA provided van as the shuttle. The VA also covers gas and maintenance costs for the vehicle as well.
These are the Driver requirements
· Have a valid state issued driver’s license. A CDL license is not required
· Proof of insurance. Driver is covered by VA insurance when driving the shuttle.
· Pass a VA driver physical
· Pass a background check.
The driver does not have to be a Veteran. This information is important as several people I’ve spoken to thought that only Vets could drive for the VA.
This program is not an American Legion or VFW sponsored program. It is a community-based program to assist our area veterans in receiving medical care. Several of our drivers are not Veterans or spouses of Veterans, just local individuals who wanted to give back to Veterans.
Any area residents interested in becoming a shuttle driver should contact Carl Jowers at 620-215-1688 or email him at carljowers@gmail.com for more information or to become a shuttle driver.