The Intercity Transit Authority voted unanimously last night to provide half-price bus passes to twelve local human service agencies that support needy citizens in Thurston County. The Discounted Bus Pass program supports local non-profit and human service agencies - and by extension, their clients - during these difficult economic times.
The transit Authority action allows $103,950 worth of monthly bus passes be distributed to the awarded community organizations throughout 2012. Qualifying organizations must serve clients within the cities or urban growth areas of Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater or Yelm and complete an application process. Through their applications, agencies must explain how the passes would benefit their constituency and the community as a whole and demonstrate a direct link between transportation and their ability to provide agency services.
Once approved for the program, the selected organizations may purchase monthly passes at half the regular price (i.e., a $30 adult pass for $15 and a $15 youth pass for $7.50). Throughout the year, Intercity Transit distributes the approved number of monthly passes to the participating community organizations who then distribute them to their clients.
The program started in early 2011 after a number of local human service agencies approached Intercity Transit seeking assistance with meeting their clients’ transportation needs. In response, the Intercity Transit Authority authorized a one-year pilot program. A survey conducted later in the year indicated the pilot program was successful and Intercity Transit estimates 3,100 individual bus passes will have been used by year’s end. Every local agency who participated in the trial program reported that the program provided valuable assistance and urged the transit agency to continue the program.
Most of the agencies who participated in 2011 will continue in the program in 2012. The 2012
recipients are Behavioral Health Resources, Capitol Clubhouse, Community Youth Services, Drexel House, the Department of Health and Social Services, the Family Support Center, Interfaith Works, the New Market Skills Center, PANZA Camp Quixote, Senior Services of South Sound, the Thurston County Veteran’s Fund and Union Gospel Mission. The transit passes are used for local transportation on Intercity Transit’s regular fixed-route bus service.
“There are many worthy agencies in our community doing important work. Supporting the work of these agencies, particularly during such difficult economic times, is a win-win – for the agencies, for Intercity Transit and, most importantly, for the individuals for which reliable transportation is crucial to helping them access needed services,” states Mike Harbour, Intercity Transit General Manager.
Due to the long economic recession, the number of people who seek assistance from human service agencies has grown while the level of resources those agencies have to meet those needs has shrunk. Particularly hard hit is transportation for struggling citizens to get to and from agency programs and other activities.
“This program is another way Intercity Transit works with local partners to help address the unmet transportation needs of our community,” states Harbour. He believes that many of the people who ride the bus through this program would likely not be able otherwise to make these trips because of the out-of-pocket cost without the program. Although participating agencies purchase the passes at half price from Intercity Transit, those passes are made available at no cost to the respective agency client.
Intercity Transit will evaluate its Discounted Bus Pass program again in 2012. The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of the 2012 program as well as the state of the economy to determine if they will continue program in 2013.