Comment on AO01-Proposed Rule-Ditmore, Crissy (VPSI Commuter Vanpools)

I am the Project Manager for a transportation service provider that services rural communities. In addition to that I volunteer with many military and veteran service groups. I beleive this grant opportunity to be an admirable addition to the services we supply our veterans access to. However, as an operator of a transportation service I am concerned at the requirement for grantees be limited to veteran service organizations. To maximize responsible use of the funds wherever appropriate the use of partnerships with existing transit providers should be considered. Specifically, allow the ability for those grantees as defined by the proposed rule to partner with an organization who specializes in transportation. Many veteran groups will want to offer some type of this service, and may not really know what is involved in operating a transportation program. The ability to partner would be of great operational assistance. Additionally, it would be wise to not limit veteran accessibility in rural areas to medical trips. There are many veterans in rural areas that would apprecaite the ability to have access to a wider range of jobs, which could be addressed through this grant as well. Congress realized this need regarding workplace accessibility in the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2012. Page 96 specifically adresses the need for increased accessibility for military and veterans commuting to military installations. Many VA facilities are positioned at or near an installation, and a large percentage of the workforce will be veterans. Their needs in this manner should not go unnoticed. I applaud the Department of Veterans Affairs for offering these grants. I look forward to the final recommendations and procedural announcements.