Nonprofits rush to get TriMet’s new discounted passes for low-income clients
The price of a two-zone adult TriMet fare will leap 20% when fare zones disappear on Saturday – unless you happen to be a social-service organization that sometimes gives free tickets to clients.
For those groups, the costs are falling slightly – but only if they apply for a new subsidy.
As of Monday, 43 social-service organizations had already been accepted in a new TriMet program subsidizing charity transit tickets that “help low-income clients access services critical to employment, housing and personal stability.”
Qualifying groups will be able to buy ticket books or passes in bulk for 20 percent off adult fares – it’ll come to $2 per ticket, rather than the usual $2.50 – or 5 percent off honored citizen fares (95 cents rather than $1).
Applications are still being accepted on a rolling basis until the program’s budget runs out, TriMet spokeswoman Mary Fetsch wrote in an email Monday. Here’s the application form (via Willamette Week).
The program came from a last-minute decision by the agency’s board to reduce the impact of the massive hikes, including the end of the Free Rail Zone, on some of the region’s neediest citizens. Here’s the list of groups that have been approved so far; most have never received discount tickets from TriMet in the past.
- Black Parent Initiative
- Bradley Angle
- Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.
- Catholic Charities
- Central City Concern
- Centro Cultural of Washington County
- Clackamas Women’s Services
- Community Action
- Community Pathways, Inc
- Folktime, Inc.
- IRCO (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization)
- Janus Youth Programs
- JOIN
- Latino Network
- Lifeworks NW
- Mercy Corps NW
- NAYA (Native American Youth and Family Center)
- North Clackamas Education Foundation
- Northwest Family Services
- Northwest Housing Alternatives
- Northwest Pilot Project, Inc.
- Oregon Human Development Corporation
- Pathfinders of Oregon
- Portland Youth Builders
- PWCL
- Raphael House of Portland
- Saint André Bessette Catholic Church
- SE Works
- Self Enhancement, Inc.
- Street Roots
- The Giving Tree
- The Salvation Army
- The Salvation Army Veterans Family Center
- Transition Projects, Inc.
- Social Services of Clackamas County
- Open Door Counseling Center
- New Avenues for Youth
- YWCA of Greater Portland
- Impact NW
- Domestic Violence Resource Center, Inc,
- Human Solutions
- Outside In
- DePaul Treatment Centers, Inc
To apply, email TriMet Director of Diversity and Transit Equity Johnell Bell: bellj@trimet.org.
Post by michael at 4:32 pm August 27th, 2012. Like what you see? Get future posts by email.
