Transportation for Humanity: Meeting the Needs in the Colonias

An estimated over 400,000 Texas residents, most of whom are legal citizens of the United States, currently live under poor conditions in colonias along the Texas-Mexico border. These communities have numerous problems, but one that transcends most other issues is the lack of reliable, safe and affordable transportation, both public and private. The 1996 Texas Colonias Van Project was an innovative initial effort to satisfy the public transportation needs of these unique communities; however, the van project is completed and the vehicles used during its course are depleted and not slated for replacement. The goal of the research was to assess the current transportation challenges facing residents of the colonias and determine the feasibility of vehicle procurement through donations or at-cost purchases from a variety of entities and/or individuals to support the program, and recommendations for alternative funding mechanisms to support the local community centers in their efforts to provide transportation to the colonias populations.