Transportation-Related Expenses (TRE) Payments

An INITIAL payment equal to the monthly bus pass is advanced to the client who chooses to drive their own vehicle or carpool and is otherwise eligible.

To request monthly reimbursement for actual mileage, parking fees, or carpool fees, clients must submit the Reimbursement Request for Transportation-Related Expenses (SCD 1799-A) on a monthly basis. The Attendance Verification (SCD 1755A) and SCD 1799-A, for the prior month, is due by the 5th of the current month.

CalWORKs Employment Services (CWES) workers must provide the client with a supply of the SCD 1799-A’s if the client’s mode of transportation is carpooling or driving their own vehicle.

The SCD 1755A is due by the 5th of the month. If the SCD 1755A is not received by the 11th day of the month, the CWES worker must make a cause determination. TRE payments must not be denied or delayed due to lack of an SCD 1755A, unless the CWES worker has information that the individual stopped participating.

TRE payment to cover public transportation, such as adult and youth bus passes or train fares, are advanced to the client.

Payment Issuance Time Frames

Ongoing TRE advance payment must be issued at least seven (7) working days prior to the end of the current month for the upcoming month. Reimbursement payments must be processed within 20 calendar days from receipt of the SCD 1799-A. 

Reminder: Ongoing TRE must be advanced to participants when needed and requested by the client so the client does not have to use personal funds to pay for this expense. 

 

Note: CalSAWS functionality may prevent the issuance of TRE payments too far in advance, and CalSAWS will place a temporary hold after the Employment Counselor (EC) approves the payment.  After reaching the threshold day (approximately 6 or 7 business days prior to the upcoming month), CalSAWS will automatically release and issue the payment.  ECs are to adhere to the payment issuance time frame to the maximum extent possible to allow participants to participate fully in their Welfare-to-Work (WTW) activity. 

Payment Methods

TRE payments for participants of one-parent households are to be issued via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) or warrant as an exception.

TRE payments for participants of two-parent households can be issued via EBT to the parent to whom the EBT card was issued.  The second parent, who does not have an EBT card, must have their TRE payments issued via warrant.

Cal-Learn participants who are 18 years or older and have their own cases are to have TRE payments issued via EBT or warrant as an exception.  All other Cal-Learn participants must have their TRE payments issued via warrant. 

To curb potential mismanagement of client funds, after issuing a payment via EBT, the EC is encouraged to send a courtesy notification to the client to notify them a payment has been issued via EBT.  This notification can be an email, text or phone call.  

Mileage Payments

A CWES participant is paid mileage between home, approved activity, and/or child care provider and the child’s school if ALL of the following conditions are met:

• Drive a vehicle that does not have to be registered in their own name, AND
• The client presents a valid driver’s license, AND
• The client presents proof of current auto insurance. (Insurance is not required to be in the client’s name.) AND
• If public transportation from home to the approved activity is not available or public transportation takes more than two (2) hours round trip. The two-hour round trip travel time includes the time it takes a client to walk from home to public transit and from public transit to their activity/employment. Time to and from the child’s school or child care does not count.

A client will not be paid mileage for travel required on the job.

Prior to authorizing a mileage reimbursement, a copy of the client’s valid driver’s license and proof of auto insurance coverage for the vehicle the client uses must be in the client’s CWES file.

Generally, auto insurance policies follow the vehicle. If the vehicle is insured, anyone with a driver’s license driving the vehicle with the owner’s permission is considered insured. The policy would be in effect in these circumstances. However, due to a negative driving record, the insurance agency may determine a certain person is excluded from the insurance policy, or the owner may sign a statement excluding a person from coverage.

If the CWES client is not a named insured person on the “Proof of Insurance,” they MUST be asked if they are “EXCLUDED” from the policy. Some examples of questions to ask the client could be:

• “Since your name does not appear on this ‘Proof of Insurance,’ are you excluded from this policy?”
• “Did anyone sign anything for the insurance company stating that you would not be driving this vehicle?”

If the client answers “YES” to one of these questions, or a similar one, indicating the client is “EXCLUDED” from the policy, mileage reimbursement cannot be authorized when the client is using this vehicle because there is NO auto insurance coverage.

Note: Post-aid clients are eligible for mileage.

Mileage Verification

The mileage claimed is verified by any of the following methods:

• Street Map
• Sworn Statement (SCD 101) or Sworn Statement (GEN 853) signed by the client
• Information Mapping via online (examples: “Google” or “MapQuest”)

https://www.mapquest.com

• Valley Transportation Agency (VTA) Home Page

https://www.vta.org/trip-planner

Mileage Payment Rate

Mileage reimbursement payments are paid to CWES clients who choose to drive their own vehicle. The rate paid is the same rate used to reimburse County employees. The current rate is $0.70 per mile.

Reimbursement of Carpool Fees

If a client is in a carpool and pays the driver, reimburse the client at the cost of the actual amount paid to the driver or the mileage payment rate, whichever is less. The client must provide a written statement of the fee paid to the driver. The driver must sign and date the statement and list the period included in the cost(s). The amount reimbursed to the client cannot be more than the mileage payment rate.

Reimbursement of Parking Fees

Parking costs for clients approved for mileage payments are paid at the actual cost to the client. Refer to "Mileage Payments" above. Clients must submit receipts for parking, except where parking meters are used. When a client requests reimbursement of a parking meter fee, the client must sign a Sworn Statement (SCD 101) or Sworn Statement (GEN 853). Parking meter fees cannot be paid if a parking permit was paid for the same location.

Bus Pass/Fare Rates

Use the following chart to determine the appropriate bus pass rate:

Type of Pass	Rate Through December 31, 2018	Rate Beginning January 1, 2019
Adult Monthly	$80.00	$90.00
Youth Monthly	$30.00	$35.00
Adult Day	$7.00	$7.50
Youth Day	$3.00	$3.75
Summer Youth	$60.00	$70.00

Note: A flash pass can be used on VTA buses and Light Rail.

Note: Summer Youth passes go on sale in May. Refer to the section "Discounted Youth Pass" below for additional information.

If a client’s mode of transportation is by bus or light rail, the VTA fare is not pro-rated. All clients approved for bus/light rail TRE receive the full amount for the month.

Note: In CalSAWS, select “Transportation” from the Category drop list and "Other" from the Type drop list on the Need Detail page.

There are instances, due to time constraints, when CWES workers must issue bus passes to the client and/or youth in order for the individual to participate in a welfare-to-work (WTW) activity. A supply of adult and youth bus passes is kept in each district office. CWES staff processes bus pass requests according to district office procedures.

Youth Pass

Children aged 5-18 may receive the equivalent of a youth pass for transportation between home, school, and/or day care provider and to other extracurricular activities if the child’s transportation is necessary in order for the parent to participate in a WTW activity. Children under the age of five are not charged for the use of public transportation.

Note: Child care providers who charge for transporting a child between school and the provider must be paid as long as the cost of child care, including transportation, is at or below the Regional Market Rate (RMR).

Discounted Youth Pass

VTA offers a type of special bus pass to youths 18 years of age or younger at a significant cost savings off the regular price of three monthly passes:

• Summer Youth Pass (covers June through August).

Youths may receive an advance payment in May for the purchase of the Summer Youth Pass that goes on sale in mid-May. A participant who receives this public transportation advance must not be issued any other public TRE payment for the remainder of the corresponding three-month period.

Refer to the VTA website for additional information.

To qualify for the special bus pass advance, the individual must be age 18 or younger and meet the following guidelines:

• WTW participants must be scheduled to participate in an approved activity for at least two of the three months covered in their pass.
• WTW teen participants (truant teens) must be scheduled to participate in an approved activity for at least two of the three months covered in their pass.
• For children of registered WTW participants, the participant must be scheduled to participate in an approved activity that includes at least two of the three months covered in their pass.

Reminder: A Notice of Action (NOA) must be issued to the individual referencing the three-month period.

Caltrain

The Caltrain serves the Peninsula Corridor from San Francisco to Gilroy and cities in between. Train fare is based on commuting zones. Use the Caltrain Timetable and Information Guide to determine train fare. The Caltrain Timetable and Information Guide is available on the internet at www.caltrain.com, in Take One boxes on the train or at staffed stations, and can be requested by mail by calling 1-800-660-4287.

Note: In CalSAWS, select “Transportation” from the Category drop list and "Subway/Train/Rail" from the Type drop list on the Need Detail page.