The Highly Rural Transportation Grant (HRTG) is a Federal Grant under the Federal VA which was awarded to the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs (NDDVA) starting in October of 2015. This grant appropriates funds to the NDDVA to provide transportation to VA-authorized medical appointments for Veterans of Highly Rural Counties. The NDDVA, working with the North Dakota Department of Transportation, has contracted with existing ND Transit providers. These transit contractors will provide transportation for Veterans to VA-authorized medical appointments at no charge to the Veteran. The medical appointments can be at a VA health care facility or any non-VA health care facility.
The terms of the HRTG are that only Veterans in Highly Rural areas are eligible. In North Dakota 36 of its 53 counties are eligible. They are:
Adams, Benson, Billings, Bottineau, Bowman, Burke, Cavalier, Dickey, Divide, Dunn, Eddy, Emmons, Foster, Golden Valley, Grant, Griggs, Hettinger, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McHenry, McIntosh, McKenzie, McLean, Mountrail, Nelson, Oliver, Pierce, Renville, Sargent, Sheridan, Sioux, Slope, Steele, Towner, and Wells. Find contact information for your county provider at NDDOT Transit Services or the VSO page.
The HRTG also allowed for NDDVA to provide transportation vans along with operational funding to Counties, Tribes, and Veteran Service Organizations to provide transportation for our Veterans. These vans can be used to provide transportation to medical appointments also.
The counties and tribes which have received vans are:
Bottineau, Cavalier, Dickey, Dunn, Golden Valley, McKenzie, Nelson, Sheridan, and Steele. Tribes with these vans are: Standing Rock (Ft. Yates). Contact information for these van services can be found on their VSO page.
The VA would like to know how the HRTG transportation program is performing for you. Please call this toll-free number, 1-855-488-8445, to share your opinion.
More information can be found at:
VA Vans are provided by a multi organizational effort. The vans are purchased by the ND Department of Veterans Affairs and funds from the Columbia Trust which is operated by the DAV. The vans are then donated to the VAHCS who provide funding for the van maintenance, fuel, license and insurance. The VAHCS then place the vans with County Veteran Service Offices in North Dakota who provide volunteer drivers and coordinate the van trips to the VAHCS in Fargo and Ft. Meade SD.
The DAV/VA vans transport veterans to...
VA medical facilities
Community Based Outreach Clinics (CBOC's)
VA approved care in the community appointments
The rides are free for Veterans.
Van routes are established, and vans are not allowed to deviate from these routes
Family is not allowed to ride with veteran exceptions for required "care-giver"
Travel eligibility is not required to utilize the DAV/VA vans
VA will not pay travel pay to veterans using the DAV/VA vans (using DAV/VA van and submitting travel voucher could be considered Fraud)
DAV/VA vans do not have wheelchair accessibility
Vans only make scheduled stops
| Van Routes | Van Schedules |
| Bismarck Route | |
| Golden Valley Route | Schedule not available. |
| Minot Route | First come, first served basis Monday-Friday, except Wednesday. |
| Pembina Route Pickup Points | Contact your VSO to schedule a ride. |
| Wahpeton Route Pickup Points | Schedule a ride. |
There are veterans in the state that do not have the means or resources to travel to medical appointments. Many do not qualify for VA travel reimbursement or cannot afford to wait for reimbursement.
A grant was awarded to the NDDVA during a special legislative session in November 2021. Funds were made available December 1, 2021 and will be available through December 31, 2024 or until exhausted. This pilot program will start no later than February 1, 2021 with the hope the results will show a broader need than what is currently provided by USDVA programs.
Transportation providers are encouraged to contact the NDDVA to establish a relationship and provide their services to our underserved veterans.
Veterans with any medical appointment are eligible if transit providers are available. Participating transportation providers submit a monthly invoice and other data to the NDDVA. NDDVA will then provide payment for services rendered to eligible veterans.