Fort Hood Van Pool

Army Mass Transportation Benefit Program

The Mass Transportation Benefit Program (MTBP) provides reimbursement (up to $125 per rider per month) for mass transit commuting costs “in order to reduce Federal employees’ contribution to traffic congestion and air pollution and to expand their commuting alternatives”. The only qualified “Mass Transportation” here at Fort Hood is the Van Pool program.

The Mass Transportation Benefit Program provides reimbursement for mass transit commuting costs “in order to reduce Federal employees’ contribution to traffic congestion and air pollution and to expand their commuting alternatives”

Fort Hood currently has 7 vans running in the program. The vans pickup Soldiers and DA Civilians in areas such as Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Georgetown and Round Rock. The vans vary in schedule according to the riders' work days. Many vans operate on a Soldier’s PT schedule, while others operate on more of a standard Government work day.

New vans are forming all the time. New vans are best formed with 5-7 people who have the same schedule, work in the same area on Fort Hood and live in the same general area.  Participants must ride the van at least 50% of their scheduled work days and must not have any disciplinary issues to qualify for the benefit. Vans are provided by contractors enrolled in the program and driven by the Soldiers and/or Civilians in the van pool. There is no minimum/maximum distance of commute specified by the program.

Questions, concerns or requests for applications should be requested from Mr. Matthew Mason, Fort Hood Van Pool POC at 254-287-5468 or Matthew.w.mason.civ@mail.mil. Applications should be returned by the 24th of each month for submittal for benefits beginning in about 30 days.

Van Pool Example:
The van running from Georgetown to Main Post, leaving at 0625 and arriving at about 0715 will begin service on Sept 4th. The cost to ride is about $50 a month and is a monthly commitment. That's about a $2,400 a year raise for the riders since they don't have to put gas in our own cars anymore.

Program Financial Information
MTBP is available for all Army employees – military, civilian, and NAF. The benefit is a non-taxable personnel benefit, funded from the same appropriation or non-appropriated fund that funds the participant's salary. Funds do not come from the participants unit, but rather directly from the program office.

For more information visit:
Facebook/FortHoodVanPoolakaArmyMassTransitBenefitProgram
Check out this great Fort Hood Sentinel Article about the program.
Additional information on the program.