Members of the city’s Transit and Parking Commission saw proposed amendments to the city’s Low Income Bus Pass Program’s eligibility requirements Tuesday.

Brought forth by Ald. Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, District 5, and member of the Low Income Bus Pass Committee, the proposal seeks to change the qualifications for Madison citizens to acquire the reduced price pass.

Under the current guidelines, Bidar-Sielaff said residents can obtain a low-income bus pass only by showing a QUEST card upon purchase.

The QUEST card is a plastic replacement for food stamps as part of Wisconsin’s FoodShare program. To qualify for the QUEST card, individuals or families must have a small or fixed income, be out of work or be disabled and unable to work.

Currently, the Low Income Bus Pass Program is only a pilot program. A permanent program is expected to be put in place later this year.

Madison Metro Transit General Manager Chuck Kamp said the city now offers about 300 passes per month. The 31-day passes are available at only three locations throughout Madison.

However, the issue is not availability but eligibility, Bidar-Sielaff said.

“We’re using a program that was designed for something completely different,” Bidar-Sielaff said of the QUEST card requirement.

She noted many people in Madison’s immigrant community are unable to obtain the passes due to the citizenship or residence restrictions of the QUEST and FoodShare programs. Bidar-Sielaff added that to qualify for the program, individuals must voluntarily declare themselves in need of the program.

Bidar-Sielaff said many individuals are eligible for the FoodShare program, but do not take advantage of the service because they do not feel comfortable doing so.

The amendment, which was approved by the Low Income Bus Pass Committee Jan. 21, changes the eligibility requirement from just showing the QUEST card to having the option of showing the card or self-declaring income of below 150 percent of the federal poverty level.

The federal poverty level is determined by the number of individuals in a household compared to its collective income. Bidar-Sielaff said this addition would encourage those that would not otherwise come forward for the program to do so.

Kamp said the permanent program would most likely have different eligibility requirements. He added changing the current language for the program might not be necessary.

“This policy change would almost become moot once we have it,” said committee member Ald. Jed Sanborn, District 1, reiterating the program is still currently in its preliminary phase.

Bidar-Sielaff said the change to the policy’s language was necessary, if not now, then definitely when the program becomes permanent.

“Personally, morally, I feel that if there is something in the current system that is preventing people from getting these passes, it should be changed,” Bidar-Sielaff said.

The amendment was approved by the committee with a stipulation the committee receives monthly updates regarding the progress of the program and its usage. It will go up for final approval in the coming months.