Platte County Veterans Van: Free Rides to VA Appointments

Platte County’s Veterans’ Service Office runs a free van, driven by volunteer veterans paid a $50 county stipend, that takes honorably discharged Platte County veterans enrolled in VA health care to their appointments in Norfolk, Grand Island, Lincoln and Omaha; book at least a week ahead on 402-563-4914.

Also called: veterans van, Veterans Transportation Program, VA appointment, ride, volunteer driver, Norfolk VA clinic, Grand Island VA, Omaha VA, Colfax County, Columbus, Humphrey, Lindsay, Platte Center, Monroe, Creston, Duncan.

For: Veteran or service member.

Where it applies

Written for the jurisdictions listed here.

Colfax County, NECounty
Platte County, NECounty

The ride. "Any honorably discharged veteran who is enrolled in VA health care can receive a free ride to their VA appointments in Norfolk, Grand Island, Lincoln, or Omaha." Reservations are first come, first served, through the Veterans' Service Office at 402-563-4914, which asks for at least a week's notice to line up a volunteer. If the van is taken on the day of the appointment, the office works with the veteran and VA to move the appointment to a day it is free. The rules on the county's fact sheet. The rider must be a legal resident of Platte County, honorably discharged, travelling for care or treatment at Nebraska VA hospitals and clinics, and able to get in and out of the van unassisted; a spouse may come along. There is no cost: the program "is funded 100% with Platte County taxpayer dollars", and the drivers are veteran volunteers paid a $50.00 stipend per day by the county. Veterans who want to drive can send their contact details to the office. Travel pay. The fact sheet's answer to "Am I still eligible to receive my VA travel pay?" is "No": VA travel pay is for the veteran who drives and bears the cost, so a rider on the county van does not also claim it for that trip. No one has to use the van. Colfax County. The office's older fact sheet, headed "Platte & Colfax County Veteran Van Program", says honorably discharged legal residents of Colfax County became eligible from July 15, 2014 and that both counties fund the drivers' stipends. Platte County's current page names Platte County residents only, but Colfax County's own Veterans Van Program page (modified June 9, 2025) prints the joint fact sheet - "Effective July 1st, 2014 Honorably Discharged Veterans who are legal residents of Colfax County are eligible", the program "funded 100% with Platte County & Colfax County tax payer dollars" and the drivers paid $50.00 a day "by Platte & Colfax Counties" - so a Colfax County veteran books the same way, through the office. The money. The 2025-2026 budget gives the Veterans Transportation Program $20,000.00; the county spent $12,292.97 on it in 2023-2024 and $14,680.64 in 2024-2025.

Thresholds

Thresholds for Platte County Veterans Van: Free Rides to VA Appointments
Gate	Rule
Honorably discharged Platte or Colfax County resident enrolled in VA health care	The van needs no rating, only VA health care enrollment, an honorable discharge, Platte or Colfax County residence and the ability to board unassisted.

Sources

Updated

Last updated 2026-10-30.

What changed then:

First published.

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Disclaimer

VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.