2026 is the Largest Funding Cycle in the Program’s History
The need is growing, and so is the response.
This year, the TEF Board awarded transit passes to 44 local nonprofits and government agencies, up from 33 in 2025. The total value of passes awarded jumped nearly 60% year over year.
12.6 Million Rides and Counting
Since launching in 2012, the Transit Fares Program has provided deeply discounted and no-cost transit passes to organizations serving our community’s most vulnerable residents. TEF’s funding has supported over 12.6 million rides on CapMetro buses, trains, and Access vehicles. That’s roughly 19,100 tCO₂ of avoided carbon emissions, the equivalent of taking about 4,100 cars off the road.
Who Does This Program Serve?
Passes go to clients at or below 150% of the federal poverty income guideline who are transit dependent. TEF partners work with older adults, refugees, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, caregivers, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, people navigating the criminal legal system, and more.
What’s New This Cycle?
The 2026 program moves to UMO fare media, a modern platform that makes it easier for partner organizations to track pass inventory, understand ridership trends, reload transit cards, and distribute passes digitally.
Interested in Applying?
TEF reviews applications annually. The next request for applications is expected to open in January 2027 — visit our website to learn more and sign up to get updates here.
Congratulations to Our 2026 TEF Partners
- Accessible Housing Austin
- Any Baby Can
- ARCIL, INC
- Austin Asian Impact
- Austin Public Library
- Austin-Travis County EMS
- Building Promise USA
- C.D. Doyle Clinic
- Capital Area Private Defender Service (CAPDS)
- Caritas of Austin
- Central Presbyterian Church
- Central Texas Community Health Centers dba CommUnityCare
- Clean Air Force of Central Texas
- Communities In Schools
- Del Valle Libraries – ETGLD
- DRESS FOR SUCCESS AUSTIN
- Excellence and Advancement Foundation (DBA Excellence Project)
- Family Eldercare
- Family Endeavors, Inc. d.b.a. Endeavors
- Foundation Communities
- Goodwill Industries of Central Texas
- Healing Hands Community Birthing Project
- Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA)
- Integral Care
- Interfaith Action of Central Texas
- Lirios Pediatrics
- Literacy Coalition of Central Texas
- Meals on Wheels-In Home Care
- More Than Welcome
- Movability
- N.I.C.E. Project
- People’s Community Clinic
- RARE Academy
- Safe Alliance
- Saint Louise House
- Sendero Health Plans
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul Diocesan Council of Austin
- South Austin Church of the Nazarene
- Sunrise Community Church dba Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center
- Texas Harm Reduction Alliance (THRA)
- The Charlie Center
- The Salvation Army Austin Area Command
- The Settlement Home for Children
- Travis County Juvenile Probation Department
- Vivent Health Texas
- Volunteer Healthcare Clinic
- Walking by Faith Prison Ministry
- Welcome Table Austin
- Yellow Bike Project