Homeschool benefits: Austin and CapMetro
CapMetro Equifare charges qualifying riders $1 per local bus ride, capped at $2 per service day and $33 per calendar month. The program retires January 10, 2027, when enrolled riders automatically transfer to Reduced Fare without a new application or a gap in benefits.
CapMetro Equifare
Who qualifies
Meets income or benefit criteria
Your household income must be below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, or you must be enrolled in one or more social services programs. The criteria do not require school enrollment, so homeschool households use the same financial route.
Provides eligibility evidence or self-verification
The application accepts proof such as a check stub, tax return or benefit document. Self-verification is available without attachments, but CapMetro can audit and request documents later.
Uses the required payment system
Use a CapMetro Reloadable Fare Card or the Umo app and associate your account with the discount. The page says previous physical cards are no longer accepted.
What you pay
CapMetro publishes separate local and commuter bus plus rail Equifare rates and fare caps.
- Local bus ride
- $1
- Local service-day cap
- $2
- Local calendar-month cap
- $33
- Commuter bus plus rail ride
- $3
- Commuter service-day cap
- $6
- Commuter calendar-month cap
- $77
How to use the fare
- Before applying
Prepare eligibility information
Complete the application, using documentation or the self-verification process.
- Within 4-6 business days
Receive confirmation
CapMetro sends an enrollment email with further instructions.
- Before riding
Associate your fare account
Link your Reloadable Fare Card or Umo account to Equifare using the Discounted Fares form.
- Each ride
Pay with your linked account
Use the eligible card or app to accumulate daily and monthly fare caps.
- January 10, 2027
Transfer automatically
Current Equifare riders move into Reduced Fare with no application and no interruption in benefits.
What it includes
Included
- Discounted local bus fares
- Discounted commuter bus and rail fares
- Daily and monthly fare capping
Who to contact about fares
Equifare staff helps you apply and connect the discount to your payment account.
Equifare@capmetro.org 512-474-1200 Equifare application and help
CapMetro Kids Ride Free
Who qualifies
Age 18 or younger
CapMetro explicitly makes rides free for children through age 18. Its age-based policy covers your homeschooled child.
Has a companion when required
Your child age 10 or younger must ride with someone who is at least 12.
Uses student identification when applicable
Students who need an ID can get one at the Transit Store.
What you pay
CapMetro’s youth page sets the age and safety rules; its fare table lists free youth fares for local and commuter bus plus rail.
- Local bus ride
- $0
- Commuter bus and rail ride
- $0
- Age 10 or younger
- Companion age 12 or older
- Under age 5
- Held securely while moving
- Student without ID
- ID available at Transit Store
How to use the fare
- Before departure
Plan the route
Use the CapMetro Trip Planner or Transit app for your destination.
- Before boarding
Arrange a companion and ID
Provide the required companion for a child age 10 or younger, and obtain a student ID at the Transit Store if needed.
- On board
Follow youth safety rules
Hold a child under age 5 securely while the vehicle moves and keep belongings out of aisles.
- When using a stroller
Respect priority seating
Your child can stay in a stroller in priority seating only while you maintain control and the space is available; otherwise remove your child and collapse the stroller.
What it includes
Included
- Local bus rides
- Commuter bus rides
- CapMetro Rail rides
Not included
- Unaccompanied riders age 10 or younger
- Open food and drink containers
Who to contact about fares
CapMetro’s youth page explains free fares, student identification and child safety rules.
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Texas
You do not have to file a homeschool notice to the state.
Texas sets these rules:
- Subjects: Instruction in Texas must include reading, spelling, grammar, math, and good citizenship.
- Testing: No routine annual homeschool standardized test is required. UIL participation and public-school transfer can have separate testing requirements.
- Records: Texas does not require homeschool records, but keeping them is recommended.
- Teachers: Texas does not require homeschool parents to hold a teaching certificate.
Texas also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) awards $2,000 a year to selected home-education students for approved expenses. Applications for 2026-27 closed March 31, 2026; families who missed that cycle can join the 2027-28 interest list.
Read the Texas homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Texas
Questions parents ask
- Can a homeschool household qualify for Equifare?
- Yes, the published routes depend on household income or social services enrollment, with no public-school attendance requirement.
- Does the $33 Equifare cap cover commuter buses and rail?
- No. The $33 calendar-month limit is for local bus travel; commuter bus plus rail has a $77 monthly cap.
- Does my 10-year-old need an adult to ride CapMetro?
- No, but they need a companion age 12 or older, who does not have to be an adult.
- Does my child need a student ID to ride CapMetro free?
- Possibly. The page says K-12 students ride free with valid ID, and a student who needs one can get it at the CapMetro Transit Store.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
A student fare helps with trips to classes and activities. We handle the learning at home, with lessons built around your child's interests and feedback on their work.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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