DAV Vans: transportation for Veterans
The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) provides free van rides to and from Corporal Michael J. Crescenz medical center at Philadelphia, PA to Veterans who don’t have other transportation options. Find out how to schedule a DAV van ride.
About DAV services
DAV van resources work with county Veterans Affairs directors to provide transportation for Veterans to and from Veteran health care centers for scheduled medical appointments.
These vans transport Veterans from 26 different counties throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and New York. Each month, between 1,500 and 1,700 Veterans receive DAV transportation.
Arrange a ride
If you’d like to schedule a DAV van ride, contact the Hospital Service Coordinator who serves your county.
Please note that DAV vans can only provide rides to ambulatory passengers (passengers who are able to move around without the driver’s help). For information on accessible transportation options, review our other Veteran shuttle services.
Pennsylvania DAV van contact information
Allegheny County
Phone number: 412-360-6957
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (9 a.m. – 12 p.m.), Thursday and Friday (1st and 3rd); Appointments beginning at 9 a.m. up to appointments beginning at 2 p.m. except Wednesday
Armstrong County
Phone number: 724-545-9016
Location: Meckling-Shakely Veterans Center
Beaver County
Phone number: 724-770-4450
Hours: Monday and Wednesday – Butler VA Medical Center; Tuesday and Thursday – VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
Bradford/McKean County
Phone number: 814-460-2327
Butler County
Phone number: 724-477-5010
Clearfield County
Phone number: 814-765-2642 ext.3008
Crawford County (Meadville)
Phone number: 814-337-6077
Erie County
Phone number: 814-860-2095
Hours: Monday through Friday
Greene County (Waynesburg)
Phone number: 724-852-5275
Indiana County
Phone number: 724-465-3815
Lawrence County
Phone number: 724-656-6868
Mercer County
Phone number: 724-346-1579, ext. 3229
Somerset County
Phone number: 814-445-1551
Hours: Tuesday through Friday – VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System; Monday – James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center, Altoona, PA
Washington County
Phone number: 800-331-5058
Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday – the western part of the county; ask for DAV van. Thursday and Friday – the Mon Valley part of the county; ask for DAV van.
Warren County
Phone number: 814-723-3100
Westmoreland County
Phone number: 724-830-3532
Hours: Monday through Friday
Venago County (Franklin)
Phone number: 814-337-6077
Additional Pennsylvania DAV van contact information
Blair County
Phone number: 814-940-7821
Bedford County
Phone number: 814-623-4848
Cambria County
Phone number: 814-943-8164 ext.5075
Centre County
Phone number: 814-355-6812
Clinton County
Phone number: 570-893-4339
Elk/Cameron (rides for vets)
Phone number: 814-772-2783
Huntington County
Phone number: 814-643-4202
Indiana County
Phone number: 724-465-3815
Jefferson County
Phone number: 814-849-1529
Mifflin County
Phone number: 717-248-6421
Somerset County
Phone number: 814-445-1551
Ohio DAV van contact information
Belmont County (St. Clairsville)
Phone number: 740-325-1042
Hours: Monday through Thursday – 2 vans; Friday – 1 van
Harrison County (Cadiz)
Phone number: 740-942-8441
Hours: Monday through Friday, as needed
Jefferson County (Steubenville)
Phone number: 740-283-8571
Hours: Monday through Friday
Monroe County
Phone number: 740-213-0058
Hours: Monday through Friday, as needed
West Virginia DAV van contact information
Brooke & Hancock Counties
Phone number: 304-527–3410
Hours: Monday through Friday
Location: Brook County Senior Center
Marshall & Ohio Counties (Wheeling)
Phone number: 304-232–0587
Hours: Monday through Friday
Location: Wheeling Veterans Center
New York DAV van contact information
Chautauqua, NY
Phone numbers: 716-672-9883 or 716-792-9462
Erie County (Erie, PA)
Phone number: 814-860-2095
Hours: Monday through Friday
Crawford County (Meadville, PA)
Phone numbers: 814-337-6077
Other Veteran shuttle services
Other Veteran-specific transportation services, including buses, shuttles, and wheelchair-accessible transport, are available to patients. Please contact these providers directly to schedule a ride.
Pennsylvania shuttle services
VA Transportation Dispatch (Wheelchair Vans)
Phone number: 412-822–1635
James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center, Altoona, PA
Phone number: 814-940–7838
Hours: VA shuttle to Pittsburgh; 2 buses Monday through Friday
Butler VA Medical Center
Phone number: 724-287–4781
Hours: 2 buses Monday through Friday
Mercer County Community Transit
Phone number: 724-981–6222
Erie VA Medical Center
Phone number: 800-274–8387
Fayette County (Uniontown)
Phone number: 724-430–1299
Hours: 2 buses Monday through Friday
Holidaysburg Veterans Home
Phone number: 814-696–5221
Johnstown, PA
Phone number: 814-539–3863
Ohio shuttle services
Washington County (Marietta)
Phone number: 740-568–9009
West Virginia shuttle services
Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center, Clarksburg
Phone number: 304-623–3461, ext. 3221
Hours: 2 vans Monday through Thursday; 1 van on Friday
Local transportation options
Many medical centers and clinics are also served by other local transportation services. To find those, review the transportation services information for the facility you want to visit.
Guidelines for using DAV vans
DAV van passengers are expected to follow certain guidelines, established by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the DAV National Headquarters. These guidelines include the following:
- All riders must be ambulatory (able to board and exit the van without the driver’s help).
- The DAV van driver is only allowed to stop the van for rest stops, emergencies, and to pick up and drop off passengers. Passengers should not ask the driver to make side trips to take care of their personal business.
- Passengers are not permitted to smoke, chew tobacco, drink alcohol, use foul language, or bring weapons, drugs, or any illegal substance on the van. Van drivers are not required to provide transportation to any Veteran who is intoxicated, abusive, or who poses a threat to the driver or other passengers.
- Passengers should not do anything to distract the driver.
- Passengers should wear seatbelts at all times. Any passenger who refuses to wear a seatbelt will be denied transportation.
- If a Veteran needs another individual (for example, a caregiver) to ride in the van with them, they need to get authorization from their VA attending physician or VA-certified nurse practitioner.
- Veterans being discharged or granted passes can ride on a DAV van during the van's trip back to its home county only if space is available. The Veteran must be ready to leave when the van leaves the VA medical center.
- Veterans should be dressed and ready to leave for the hospital at the time specified. Drivers can’t wait for Veterans who aren’t ready to leave at the appointed time.
- Veterans can only bring with them items that they can hold on their lap or store under the seat.
- The DAV van is not an emergency vehicle. The driver may refuse to transport any Veteran who appears to be too ill to ride the van.
- Veterans who use the DAV Transportation Network will not be eligible to receive reimbursement for travel expenses.
(M-1, Part 1, Chapter 25, July 8, 1991)