The San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center (SFVAMC) offers a daily volunteer shuttle for patients in outlying areas of service. Advance reservations are required.
A shuttle departs at 5 a.m. daily from the City of Clearlake, with additional pick-ups at 5:30 a.m. in Lower Lake, 5:45 a.m. in Middletown and 6:45 a.m. in Napa. It arrives by 8 a.m. at the SFVAMC. The volunteer transport system also offers routes from Lake County to Ukiah and Mare Island.
To reserve a space on the shuttle, Lake County residents should call Transportation Coordinator Marilyn Nosaka at (415) 379-5612 or toll-free (877) 487-2838. When making your reservation, you will be asked for the last four digits of your Social Security number and your medical center appointment time.
Due to limited space, seating on volunteer transportation shuttles is restricted to veteran patients who have a scheduled medical appointment that is on the day of travel. Friends and family cannot be included.
Passengers must be able to board and disembark shuttles with limited assistance. Those passengers who have portable oxygen need to secure their oxygen units safely under the seat or with a seat belt. Trained service dogs are permitted on all vehicles.
Disabled veterans should note that wheelchair lifts are not available on all vans. Patients needing wheelchair accomodations should contact the transportation coordinator prior to their appointment times. The transportation coordinator will provide assistance with making alternative arrangements.
Please note that clinicians make every effort to ensure that riders are seen on a timely manner in order to return on the van; however, this is not always possible. Therefore, patients who ride the volunteer shuttles are encouraged to make appointments for early in the day.
While every effort will be made to return patients to the drop-off that is closest to their homes, the VA assumes no responsibility for return rides if the patient misses or fails to show up for the return shuttle.
