Since its inception in 2011, the Transit Empowerment Fund (TEF) has provided 3 million rides on Capital Metro buses through its annual transit pass program. In 2016, the TEF for the first time reached the landmark of 1 million rides in a calendar year. The mission of the fund is to enhance access to transportation for low-income, transit-dependent individuals in the Austin area.
“You can’t make Austin more affordable without expanding access to transportation,” said Mayor Steve Adler. “This is why Austin is grateful for the 3 million rides the fund has provided so far.”
The goal of all TEF programs is to help individuals remain or become more self-sufficient by providing transportation that allows them to access employment, health care, education and/or social services. Populations served by the fund include adults over the age of 65, people with disabilities, youth under the age of 18, Medicare card holders, low-income workers, refugees and people experiencing homelessness.
In 2016, the TEF provided an average of 84,000 rides per month.
Also on March 7, TEF launched two pilot projects:
- A partnership between the Community Care Collaborative (CCC) and RideAustin that will provide transportation access to medical appointments for low-income individuals.
- A partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) that will expand HACA’s mobility ambassadors program to two locations.
At a media event, the two project partners each received a check for $50, 000.
The Transit Empowerment Fund (TEF), originally named the Basic Transportation Needs Fund, was developed as a partnership between Capital Metro, the Austin Community Foundation and One Voice Central Texas to provide greater access to transportation for low-income, transit dependent individuals. It is overseen by a community board and is a Fund of the Austin Community Foundation.
The annual transit pass program allows nonprofit organizations to purchase Capital Metro transit passes at a deeply reduced rate (25 percent of face value) and get a percentage of their passes (up to 30 percent) at no cost. So far, 71 nonprofits have participated with 49 currently distributing passes. Since 2011, Capital Metro has invested $1.9 million into the TEF.
