In the next several weeks, a new van will be available for Hamilton County veterans in need of transportation to Veterans Hospital or other medical appointments. County Commissioners agreed Monday to pay half the cost of the vehicle, estimated at $15,000 to $20,000.
Any county resident who is a veteran of U.S. military service is eligible for the free service by calling the Veteran Service office at (317) 776-8278.
Interim service officer Lisa Charles said the program actually started last year with an older vehicle. It was utilized by only a few hundred veterans throughout the year.
The transportation program, offered in a number of counties, is administered by the Indiana Veterans Administration which calls upon volunteers to do the driving Monday through Friday.
While the county will pay half the cost of the new vehicle, the Disabled Veterans organization will pay the other half of the cost.