CAP (Commuter Assistance Program)
OUR GRANT PROGRAMS
CAP (Commuter Assistance Program)
Program Background
The Commuter Assistance Program is a statewide grant program for programs and projects that are both efficient and effective at increasing ridership on transit, vanpools, and carpooling, leading to moving more people on Virginia’s roads, mitigating traffic congestion, reducing single occupant vehicle trips, reducing vehicle miles traveled, reducing air pollution, and reducing fuel costs for Virginians.
Individually Administered Grant Programs
Operating Assistance
DRPT provides funding (80 percent state/20 percent local funding) to support the operation of local and regional Commuter Assistance Programs that increase carpool, vanpool, and transit use. The commuter assistance programs provide the following types of services:
- Ridematching services that match commuters and travelers in carpools, vanpools, and transit options
- Commuter assistance websites, mobile applications, and phone numbers
- Trip planning
- Guaranteed/Emergency Ride Home programs to help commuters get home when they carpool, vanpool, or use transit to work and have to leave early or work late unexpectedly
- Marketing and promotion of travel options to residents, commuters, employers, and employees in Virginia
Project Assistance
DRPT’s project assistance program is a competitive grant program (80 percent state/20 percent local funding) supporting local, regional, and statewide commuter assistance projects such as employer trip reduction, vanpool assistance, and transit marketing projects that achieve a measurable increase in the use of transit, carpooling, and vanpooling. This program supports projects that:
- Increase the number of private sector employers providing commuter benefits to employees who commute via public transportation or vanpools
- Increase the number of private sector employers providing assistance to employees commuting in carpools or vanpools
- Increase the number of private sector employees commuting via transit, carpools, or vanpools
- Form new vanpools, increase the overall number of vanpools, and increase the number of vanpools riders
- Create marketing projects that increase transit ridership
Application Resources and Timeline
For detailed information on the application timeline, goals, eligibility requirements, eligible expenses, and application process for all DRPT administered grants programs, view the resources below:
Application Timeline
- December 1, 2023
DRPT began accepting applications for Fiscal Year 2025
Application Resources
DRPT's WebGrants
DRPT’s WebGrants site is the portal that allows DRPT’s partners to apply for funding, submit reimbursement requests, manage grants, and report performance requirements.