Can CalFresh benefits help with transportation costs like Uber or bus passes?

Calfresh is just for food. But u might qualify for other programs. Check ur county website under social services.

CalFresh benefits are specifically for purchasing food and can't be used for transportation. However, many counties offer discounted bus passes for low-income residents through their transit authority - not through the CalFresh program. If you're receiving CalFresh, you might also qualify for CalWORKs which sometimes provides transportation assistance if you're working or participating in their welfare-to-work program. There's also the Low-Income Fare Program (LIFE) in some counties that provides discounted transit passes specifically for those under certain income thresholds. I'd recommend calling your county social services office directly to ask about transportation assistance programs in your area. They can direct you to the right resources based on your specific situation.

I was in the EXACT same situation last year!!! Couldn't afford my car repairs, then relied on Uber which drained my bank account, then was taking 3 buses each way to work which took 2.5 HOURS EACH WAY!!! It was a NIGHTMARE. Each county has different transportation help programs. In my county they have special reduced fare bus passes for low income people BUT you have to apply separately from CalFresh. The social worker never told me about it even though I mentioned transportation issues during my CalFresh interview!!!! I only found out because another bus rider told me about it. You should also check if your employer offers any commuter benefits. Some bigger companies do but don't advertise it well.

I help clients navigate benefits systems, and transportation assistance is one of the most common gaps people encounter. Here's what you should know: 1. CalFresh benefits are strictly for food purchases and cannot be used for transportation. 2. However, if you're receiving CalFresh, you likely qualify for other assistance programs that DO help with transportation: - County-specific transportation assistance programs (varies widely by location) - Discounted transit passes through your local transit authority (typically 50-75% off) - Medical transportation assistance if you're on Medi-Cal for doctor appointments - Some nonprofit organizations offer gas cards or Uber vouchers for job-related transportation The challenge is that these programs are fragmented and poorly advertised. Your best approach is to directly ask your county worker about ALL transportation assistance options you might qualify for. By the way, if you're having trouble reaching someone at the county office (very common problem), I've had clients use a service called Claimyr that helps you skip the phone queue and get a callback from a worker. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 and their website is claimyr.com. Many of my clients found it helpful when they kept getting disconnected or couldn't wait on hold for hours.

Yes, it does work for most counties in California. It essentially navigates the phone system for you and gets you a callback from a worker instead of waiting on hold. Many of my clients have successfully used it, especially those who can't sit on hold during work hours.

i heard if u get calfresh u can get free bus passes i got them last year but the county worker had to add it to my case she said not everyone knows bout it so u gotta ask specifically

Thanks everyone for your helpful responses! I tried that Claimyr service yesterday and actually got a call back from my county worker within an hour. She told me there's a reduced-fare transit program I qualify for that will give me a monthly bus pass for $25 instead of $85! I just need to bring my CalFresh approval letter to the transit office downtown. She also mentioned a separate program for medical transportation through Medi-Cal that I can use for doctor appointments. She said CalFresh benefits themselves can't be used for transportation (food only), but my CalFresh approval makes me automatically eligible for these other transportation assistance programs. I wish they would have told me about this when I first applied! Anyway, thanks again for all your help!

So glad you got through!!! The system is SO FRUSTRATING because they never tell you about all the programs you qualify for!! You have to specifically ask about each one or you miss out. I've been on benefits for 3 years and I'm STILL discovering programs I could have been using all along. Make sure you also ask about the LifeLine phone program if you haven't already - free cell phone service if you get CalFresh!

This thread is so helpful! I'm new to CalFresh and had no idea there were all these other programs that connect to it. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key is really knowing what to ask for specifically when you talk to your worker. I'm going to make a list of all the programs mentioned here (reduced transit passes, medical transportation, LifeLine phone service) before I call my county office. It's frustrating that they don't just tell you about everything you qualify for upfront, but at least now I know what questions to ask. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that makes such a difference!

This is such valuable information! I'm also struggling with transportation costs after my car died. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that while CalFresh itself can't be used for transportation, being on CalFresh opens doors to other programs that can help. I'm going to try that Claimyr service since I've also been having trouble getting through to my county office. It's so frustrating that we have to discover these programs ourselves instead of being told about them upfront. Quick question for those who've gotten the reduced transit passes - do you have to reapply for them periodically or is it a one-time application? And has anyone found any programs that help with emergency transportation like when you need to get to urgent medical appointments? Thanks to everyone sharing their real experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating these confusing systems!

This whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm also on CalFresh and had no clue about these transportation assistance programs. Like others mentioned, it's so frustrating that they don't automatically tell you about all the programs you might qualify for when you first apply. I'm definitely going to ask about the reduced transit passes - paying $85/month for a bus pass is killing my budget. And I had no idea about the medical transportation through Medi-Cal either. One thing I'm curious about - for those who've used these programs, do they check your income annually or do they just verify that you're still receiving CalFresh? I'm worried about the paperwork burden since I already have to recertify my CalFresh benefits every year. Thanks to everyone for sharing such practical advice. This is exactly the kind of insider knowledge that makes navigating these systems so much easier!

This thread is so helpful for understanding how CalFresh connects to other assistance programs! I'm currently on CalFresh and struggling with transportation costs too - spending about $200/month on rideshares and buses to get to work and appointments. Reading everyone's experiences, it's clear that while CalFresh benefits themselves can only be used for food, being eligible for CalFresh opens doors to other transportation assistance programs. I had no idea about the reduced transit passes or the medical transportation through Medi-Cal! I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service since I've been having the same problem getting through to my county office - spent over 3 hours on hold last week just to get disconnected. It's so frustrating that we have to hunt down information about these programs ourselves instead of being told about them when we first apply for benefits. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences and practical tips. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating these confusing systems so much easier!