The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is transitioning its Transportation Wallet for Affordable Housing pilot project to an expanded, ongoing program - the Transportation Wallet: Access for All.
Transportation Wallet: Access for all is a program focused on offering a package of FREE transportation options, like transit fare, bike or scooter-share ride credit, and ride-share (Uber/Lyft) or taxi ride credit for people and households living on low-incomes. The program is focused on reducing barriers to suing transportation options, like cost, technology access, credit/debit card requirements, and low-income verification processes for different providers.
PBOT will be launching the Transportation Wallet: Access for All in summer 2023.
About Transportation Wallet: Access for All
Multiple options are available to meet your unique transportation needs
Transportation Wallet: Access for All allows you to choose the wallet package that works best for your. Read below to find out what each option contains:
Setting Up Your Wallet: Access for All
Option 1: TriMet Honored Citizen 1-year pass
This option is available for Access for All participants who either already have or plan to apply for TriMet's reduced-fare Honored Citizen Hop card.
Get your Honored Citizen Hop card - Visit TriMet's website to apply. There are a number of ways you may qualify:
If you selected Option 1 A PBOT staff person will load your 1-year pass onto your Hop card and notify you when it is ready to use.
Option 2: Value loaded onto TriMet Hop card
This Transportation Wallet package comes with $200 loaded onto your Hop card and will be loaded by PBOT staff. If you don't have a Hop card, staff will load and mail you a new Hop card.
Option 3: Value loaded onto multiple household TriMet Hop cards
This Transportation Wallet package comes with set amounts of transit fare depending on your household size. This amount can be spilt onto different Hop cards for your household. If you or members of your household need a Hop card, staff will load and mail you new Hop cards.
Option 2 and 3: Prepaid Visa Card
Access for All participants who choose Transportation Wallet Option 2 or 3 will be mailed a prepaid Visa card to use for transportation services.
Activating your prepaid Visa card - when you receive your prepaid Visa card in the mail, just follow the instructions in the envelope to activate it. Plea that you will need the date of birth your used to sign-up for your Transportation Wallet to activate your card.
Important note about your prepaid Visa card - The prepaid Visa card will not work for purchases that are not transportation related.
Using your prepaid card on Transportation Services
You can use your prepaid Visa card on transportation services like e-scooters, taxis and ride-hailing (Uber/Lyft), parking, BIKETOWN (bike-share), and TriMet. Read below on how to link your prepaid Visa card to the various transportation services.
E-Scooters
1) Download the e-scooter app of your choice to your smartphone
Each company has their own app that you will use to unlock e-scooters and pay for rides. Use the links below to get the apps that work with your device.
- Bird: Apple App Store Google Play
- Lime: Apple App Store Google Play
- Spin: Apple App Store Google Play
2) Add your prepaid Visa card as the payment method for each app.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
You may add your prepaid Visa card as the payment method for the Uber and Lyft apps as well as any taxi service apps you use. Not all taxi services have apps. If this is the case with your favorite taxi company, just use your prepaid Visa card to pay your driver directly.
1) Download the ride-hailing app of your choice to your smartphone
Each company has their own app that you will use. Use the links below to get the apps that work with your device's operating system.
- Lyft: Apple App Store Google Play
- Uber: Apple App Store Google Play
- Taxis: Check with your preferred vendor to see if they have an app.
2) Add your prepaid Visa card as the payment method for each app. Here are step-by-step instructions for adding your prepaid card to your Lyft and/ or Uber. You will be using Lyft Cash or Uber Cash.
Parking
You may use your prepaid Visa card to pay for on-street parking at parking meters or via the Parking Kitty app. You may also use your card to pay for parking in SmartPark garages.
- Parking meters: Use the instructions posted on each parking meter.
- SmartPark garages: Follow the instructions on SmartPark pay stations.
- Parking Kitty: Apple App Store Google Play
BIKETOWN for All and Adaptive BIKETOWN Benefits
Access for All participants may receive a BIKETOWN for All membership or access to Adaptive BIKETOWN with Option 2 or Option 3 of the Transportation Wallet.
BIKETOWN for All is Portland's bike-share membership for income-qualified individuals and high school students ages 16+. Your membership will include unlimited 60-minute rides and a helmet. You will also be credited $7/mo to cover out of station parking fees, which come into effect when you park a BIKETOWN bike away from an official BIKETOWN station.
Pick up your helmet - helmets can be collected at Adaptive BIKETOWN on the Eastbank Esplanade during normal operating hours.
Adaptive BIKETOWN offers an unlimited number of free, 1-hour rides to anyone living with a disability or who cannot ride a traditional two-wheeled bicycle.
Information on completed pilot phases
What was the Transportation Wallet for Affordable Housing Pilot:
The Transportation Wallet for Residents of Affordable Housing was a pilot program managed by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) in partnership with selected affordable housing sites to offer a package of FREE transportation options, like transit passes, bike or scooter-share ride credit, and rideshare (Uber/ Lyft) or taxi ride credit.
PBOT ran two phases of the pilot in 2019-2020 and 2021-2022.
Pilot Program Goals:
- Deliver Transportation Wallets to our partner affordable housing sites.
- Reduce the barriers to using transportation options, like cost, technology access, credit/debit card requirements, and low-income verification processes for different providers.
- Allow residents to access transportation and have the flexibility to use how much of the transportation options that fit their needs.
- Provide Resources to services and community events.
- Communicate climate and equity benefits of transit and bike improvements in the City and promote investments in economic, physical, and community health.