Transportation - TAFDC

Transportation may be identified by families working with DTA as a challenge to engaging in education, training and employment activities. The Department may provide monthly transportation payments for TAFDC clients participating in those activities or who are working to help offset costs to participating and promote access to other transportation supports.

Most TAFDC clients and certain former clients who have an approved Pathways to Work Plan and an active activity will receive transportation payments, for costs incurred for travel to and from the activity, if Department resources permit.  Transportation payments should include the cost of transporting children to child care.  An eligible TAFDC client will receive $80 per month.

See Transitional Support Services – TAFDC to learn about transportation stipends for former clients.

This support is provided to clients who are TAFDC Pathways to Work eligible, who are participating in a transportation eligible activity with an active Plan. This includes clients ineligible due to sanction in an active TAFDC assistance unit.

Pathways to Work eligible clients include those who are work or school required or who are exempt but volunteer in Pathways to Work activities. Clients who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), have an undetermined noncitizen status, and non-liable relative caregivers who are not part of the TAFDC assistance unit are not eligible for transportation payments.

Important: Staff must issue the transportation payment through a Related Benefit when a Plans is not approved until after the client’s first cyclical benefit issuance of that month.

When completing a Plan with a Pathways to Work eligible client, staff must inform the client that they will receive a monthly payment of $80 for transportation costs to support their ability to participate in that activity. If a client’s Plan expires or is ended, transportation payments will stop.

Activities that Qualify for Transportation Payments

  • Basic Education (including high school equivalency programs)
  • College
  • Employment Ready Employment Training and Education
  • Employment Supports
  • Enhanced Employment Supports
  • Full Employment Program (FEP)
  • Young Parents Program (YPP)
  • DTA Works
  • Non-DTA funded programs (approved)
  • Employment
  • Combination of approved activities that include an activity above and/or community service. However, a client participating in TAFDC Community Service only is ineligible for a transportation payment.

Important: A client participating in TAFDC Community Service only is ineligible for a transportation payment.

A client with an active activity and an active Pathways to Work Plan will receive a transportation payment on the same day as the first cyclical issuance of their benefit.

In the event that a client’s Plan is not approved until after the first cyclical issuance of the month, you must issue the first month’s transportation payment by issuing a Related Benefit as soon as possible.

Follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Program Administration workflow
  2. Open the Related Benefit page
  3. Select Transportation from the Type drop-down list
  4. Enter $80 in the Amount field
  5. Enter the date when the Related Benefit period begins. Select a date from the popup calendar
  6. Enter the date when the Related Benefit period ends. Select a date from the popup calendar

Important: For the begin and end dates, you must select the first and last dates of the month for which the payments are being made.  Selecting the incorrect dates could result in the client losing a transportation payment for one month.

  1. Click Save
  2. Click Next to save your entries or changes and go to the next page in the workflow
  3. Click Finish to save your entries or changes and to exit the page and the workflow

Additional Transportation Support

In addition to the transportation payments available for TAFDC, DTA must connect clients to other state or community resources that may support their ability to access or pay for transportation costs. strategies

This includes Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) reduced fare programs:

  • Youth Pass Program for young adults with low income in a participating area
  • Transportation Access Pass (TAP) for people with a disability

As part of goal setting with a family, staff may help clients develop a plan on how they will get to and from child care, schools, their program and/or work. This could include mapping out public transit routes, connecting with a program that offers ride sharing, and carpooling.  

Related Topics

Transportation Payment Procedures

Transportation Policy and Procedures

MBTA Youth Pass Program

Last Update: August 9, 2023