Bus Passes

There is no policy per se with LFS about bus passes. Here are some general guidelines:

Matching Grant families: They usually receive a bus pass either the first 4 months, or 30 days following starting a job, whichever is first. The client can come directly to the employment specialist and get the bus pass.

TANF families: Once TANF is approved, LFS will not give transportation assistance directly from our own funds. It will come from the county and appear as cash on their TANF card. They must take that money and go buy a bus pass. If they spend that money on other things (even rent or other bills), money for a new pass will NOT be provided. The employment specialist or case manager makes this request to the county based on the activities that the person is supposed to be in, but the counties have varying times in which they approve these requests.

TANF is pending: They may get some limited transportation assistance, such as tokens, but it is possible that they will not. Families should ask their case managers.

Non-TANF (CARES) case or a TANF pending case, there are certain circumstances that we consider:

• Are they employable and actively looking for work? If not, they will not get a bus pass. Transportation assistance for non-TANF cases is not for medical appointments or other types of trips. The funding is such that it is only for those who are employable and looking for a job.
• Do they have any money left after paying their rent to buy a bus pass? If so, they must use that money to buy a bus pass. Remember that for many new arrivals in the first 90 days, R&P covers their entire rent, so all of their CARES cash assistance is surplus and they must use that money to buy a bus pass.
• Have they been attending ESL classes (or whatever activity they are assigned to do)? If not, they will not receive a bus pass.

There is only enough money to give out passes to a small number of people—around 50 per month, and there are usually at least 100 who want and/or need a bus pass.

See the RTD Orientation page for instructions on how to use the bus system.

Other assistance for bus passes:

Local churches