United States Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood recently announced $29 million in grants to provide military veterans, wounded warriors, and their families improved transportation options — from buses and taxis to other transportation systems.
The said grants will support 64 projects in 33 states and the Northern Mariana Islands to ensure that veterans and their families get quality and affordable rides to jobs, job fairs, job training, education, shopping centers, medical care facilities, and other destinations in their communities.
LaHood, during the conference call, describes the move as “just one way we can thank them for their service.”
“With these transportation grants, we will help connect veterans and military families with the jobs and training opportunities they deserve, as well as the medical care and other services they need, all located close to home,” LaHood adds.
The Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative, funded and managed by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), supports efforts by local governments and transit agencies to implement technologies—ranging from “smart phone” applications to real-time transit bus locator information—that make it easier for veterans and others to access and schedule rides on available buses, vans, taxis and other transportation systems.
FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff, who was in Lee County, Florida for the announcement, said “…It’s vitally important that we remove barriers to success by making transportation available wherever our veterans choose to live, work and receive care.”
Projects receiving grants include Lee County, Florida which was given a $1.4 million grant that will enable the installation of new information kiosks at a brand new Veterans Administration outpatient clinic in Cape Coral and other locations, among other things. The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority in Dayton, Ohio received $450,000 grant to make it easier for returning and retired veterans and those who have disabilities to arrange for rides by phone, smart phone or on the web.
