Description

The Mass Transportation Benefit Program provides reimbursement for mass transit commuting costs “in order to reduce Federal employees’ contribution to traffic congestion and air pollution and to expand their commuting alternatives” (Executive Order 13150, April 2000).

General Information

Fort Hood currently has 7 vans running in the program. The vans pickup Soldiers and DA Civilians in areas such as Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Georgetown and Round Rock. The vans vary in schedule according to the riders' work days. Many vans operate on a Soldier’s PT schedule, while others operate on more of a standard Government work day.

New vans are forming all the time. New vans are best formed with 5-7 people who have the same schedule, work in the same area on Fort Hood and live in the same general area.

Participants must ride the van at least 50% of their scheduled work days and must not have any disciplinary issues to qualify for the benefit. Vans are provided by contractors enrolled in the program and driven by the Soldiers and/or Civilians in the van pool. There is no minimum/maximum distance of commute specified by the program.

Questions, concerns or requests for applications should be requested from the Fort Hood Van Pool POC at 254-287-5468.

Applications should be returned by the 24th of each month for submittal for benefits beginning in about 30 days.

Van Pool Example:

The van running from Georgetown to Main Post, leaving at 0625 and arriving at about 0715 will begin service on Sept 4th. The cost to ride is about $50 a month and is a monthly commitment. That's about a $2,400 a year raise for the riders since they don't have to put gas in our own cars anymore.

Eligible MTBP participants receive a subsidy for their commuting expenses while using Qualified Means of Transportation. At Fort Hood, TX, the only qualified means of transportation available is the Van Pool program.

The maximum allowable benefit is $125 per month. If your commuting costs exceed $125 per month, you are responsible for the amount above $125. The MTPB is centrally funded by HQDA; there is no cost to the local installation.

Who is eligible?

• All Army Active Component (AC) military service members.

• Army Reserve Component (RC) military service members (Army Reserve and

  Army National Guard) who are currently on active duty.

• DA Federal civilian employees, including part-time federal employees and interns.

• DA Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) personnel employed by a duly constituted Army Non-Appropriated Funded Instrumentality (NAFI) under the control of the Secretary of the Army and organized under the provision of AR 215-1 (Military Morale, Welfare, And Recreation Programs And Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentalities), (e.g., NAFI activities managed by the U.S. Army Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation Command).

   

  Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FortHoodVanPoolakaArmyMassTransitBenefitProgram

  Check out this great Fort Hood Sentinel Article about the program: http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/story.php?id=9129

  Additional information on the program: http://asafm.army.mil/offices/ASA/MassTrans.aspx?OfficeCode=1000#WhatsNew