Improving transportation services can improve the economic outcomes among workers throughout the state of Wisconsin. An effort to connect low-income workers with jobs through enhanced local transportation services, WETAP integrates local, state and federal funding into a single program and award process administered by WisDOT. WETAP grant funding is available to non-profit agencies. Private businesses and Tribal entities may be eligible to be awarded grants in limited circumstances and only as partners with non-profit organizations as the responsible applicant.

​

This is an annual competitive grant program combining state and federal funding sources into one coordinated program to help local areas address transportation needs for low-income workers.  Lack of transportation is a significant barrier to getting and keeping jobs for low-income workers. Improving transportation options can improve the economic outcomes for these workers.

The WETAP program focuses on funding activities that support the following:

​

• New or expanded transportation services that address the employment-related transportation needs of eligible low-income workers

• Shared solutions such as ridesharing, public transportation expansion, vanpools, or carpools

• Individual solutions, such as car repair or used car loan programs

• Coordinated transportation solutions based on a local planning process involving local stakeholder to address service gaps and avoid duplication

​

WETAP grant awardees are reimbursed for eligible activities identified in their application they have already completed in that calendar quarter.  Eligible activities include the following:

​

• Mobility management

• Bicycle related infrastructure directly serving transit such as bike racks on transit vehicles; bike racks at transit stations/stops; bike sharing infrastructure at transit stations/stops (but not the bikes themselves).

• Vehicle purchase loans to individuals - WETAP funds can be used to “seed” a revolving loan program.

•  Vehicle repair loans to individuals

• Costs to administer voucher programs for work related taxi, shared ride taxi, ridesharing services or transit trips 

• Vouchers for work related rides via taxi, shared ride taxi, ridesharing services, or transit 

• Promotion and marketing of work-related transportation options such as availability of work-related vouchers; employer developed shuttles or ridesharing; ability to provide transit passes under an employer’s Section 132 fringe benefit program

• Operating late night and weekend transit service 

• Guaranteed ride home service - Vouchers or reimbursement of rides provided when regular service is unavailable (does not include a cab ride home from work if transit service that typically is available is not because of the time of day).

• Employee shuttle service 

• Expanding transit service to meet employment needs such as hours of service or geographic coverage including adding reverse commute transit or rideshare options between urban and non-urban employment areas.

• Demand response van service 

• Ridesharing and van pools (Does not include ridesharing network services such as from Uber and Lyft).

• Implementing transit related Intelligent Transportation Systems including vehicle position monitoring systems; GIS software; customer trip technology

• Integrating public transit and human services transportation technology (does not include technology to integrate service information, scheduling and dispatching)"

 

• Assistance Type: Grant

• Annual/Biennial Funding Amount: This program is funded in part by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), state funds from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and state funds from WisDOT. The total dollar amount available for 2024 is approximately $4.1 million to be divided among multiple grantees. Grants are awarded for one calendar year with no guarantee of continued funding. 

• Application Cycle: Annually each fall

• Min./Max Award:  Grant awards historically fund 60 to 80% of the requested amounts of each award to spread the benefits of the program across multiple recipients and throughout the state. Grant awards typically range from $25,000 to $900,000 per award.

• Contact and/or Application Link: Details about the grant requirements and application process are available in the WETAP Application Guidelines.

  • Contact: 

     Diane Paoni

     Phone Number: (608) 266-1402

     Email Address: WETAP@dot.wi.gov

​

​Example of Successful Implementation: https://swcap.org/programs-services/transportation/work-n-wheels-program/ 

​

​Below attached to the button is the link for more information regarding this program from the WisDOT website. Follow this link to learn more.

​