Southwest Area Regional Transit District

10/19/2026

🗳️🚍 **YOUR VOTE MATTERS! SWART IS OFFERING FREE RIDES TO THE POLLS!** 🇺🇸

**Early voting is here, and SWART wants to help you get to the polls!**

The Southwest Area Regional Transit District (SWART) is proud to offer **FREE transportation to and from early voting locations** throughout our eight-county service area!

📅 **EARLY VOTING DATES:**\
Monday, October 19 – Friday, October 30, 2026

⏰ **FREE TRANSPORTATION HOURS:**\
From the time polls open until 5:00 PM, during SWART's available service hours.

💲 **COST: ABSOLUTELY FREE!**

At SWART, we believe transportation should never be a barrier to exercising your right to vote. Whether you live in a rural community or one of our larger cities, we are committed to helping residents access their polling locations.

📞 **SCHEDULE YOUR FREE RIDE TODAY!** Call one day in advance to reserve your ride.
Call SWART at **1-800-499-1617** to arrange your transportation.

🤝 **A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS!**

SWART extends its sincere appreciation to our community partners for their continued support and commitment to making transportation accessible throughout the Middle Rio Grande Region. You made this possible. Through strong partnerships and a shared dedication to serving our communities, we can continue providing opportunities that make a meaningful difference in the lives of our residents.

**Your support helps us go the extra mile for the communities we proudly serve!** 💙

🇺🇸 **Your Voice. Your Vote. Your Ride.**

Let SWART help you get to the polls! Every vote matters, and every voice deserves to be heard.

**SWART – Connecting Communities, Creating Opportunities!**

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10/17/2026

Maria Camacho, Mobility Management specialist, took part in the 2026 Pink Runway event in support of Breast Cancer Awareness today, October 17. The event was sponsored by Lopez Health Systems and was held at the Campestre in Crystal City. Attendees received information on breast cancer awareness where early detection can save lives.

Maria provided information on SWART transportation services.



10/16/2026

Celebrating National Boss’s Day! Carlos Mallen, Chief Operations Manager, was celebrated by the SWART Eagle Pass staff. Thank you Carlos for the dedication you have for your job as a leader and all you do for the the residents in the region.

10/16/2026

SWART General Manager, Sarah Hidalgo-Cook, was interviewed by the Next Stop podcast while attending the American Public Transportation Association Transform Conference and Expo on October 6 in Chicago. Sarah spoke about SWART services, its history, challenges the system has faced and future projects and service enhancements. She also spoke about her 36 year career of advocating for rural transportation and those living with disabilities. She has been able to bring a different perspective in which SWART provides options for public transportation in the rural areas as a person who lives with low vision disability motivating her to ensure that rural transit has a voice at the state and federal level.

10/15/2026

Juan Oscar Centeno, SWART Mobility Management Specialist, took part in the Southwest Texas College Transfer & Career Day Fair. He provided information on SWART’s services throughout the region.

10/15/2026

SWART Admin Staff broadened their skills this week by attending the MIP User Conference in Nevada. The hands on learning pertained to the financial and human resource platform that SWART uses for fiscal oversight of the organization.

Pictured are
Maggie Flores, Chief Financial Manager
Sandra Fuentes, Finance Technician
Cynthia Rodriguez, Assistant General Manager
Juan Rodriguez, Safety & Technology Manager

10/15/2026

The SWART Southwest Initiative for Mobility (SWIM) took part in the  Think Pink! Eagle Pass Runway Show 2026 event. Maria Camacho and Juan Oscar Centeno provided information to attendees regarding transportation services in Eagle Pass. 

10/14/2026

10/14/2026

🚌💙 **¿SABÍA USTED? ¿Cómo se financia el transporte público?** 💵

¿Alguna vez se ha preguntado cómo SWART puede ofrecer servicios de transporte público a precios accesibles en todo el suroeste de Texas?

**¡La respuesta es sencilla! El transporte público es una inversión compartida.** 🤝

Los sistemas de transporte público como Southwest Area Regional Transit (SWART) dependen de una combinación de **fondos federales, estatales y locales** para mantener sus vehículos en funcionamiento y ofrecer tarifas accesibles a las comunidades que servimos.

💰 **¡ASÍ ES COMO FUNCIONA!**

🇺🇸 **Fondos Federales:** El gobierno federal proporciona fondos para ayudar a cubrir los gastos operativos del transporte público, así como la compra de vehículos y equipo.

⭐ **Fondos Estatales:** El Estado de Texas también contribuye con fondos para apoyar el transporte público, especialmente en las comunidades rurales.

🤝 **Fondos Locales de Contrapartida:** ¡Aquí hay algo que muchas personas desconocen! La asistencia federal para operaciones generalmente requiere una aportación equivalente, dólar por dólar. Esto significa que **por cada $1 que SWART recibe en fondos federales para operaciones, debe conseguir otro $1 en fondos de contrapartida elegibles**, que pueden provenir de fuentes locales o estatales.

🚍 **Inversiones de Capital:** Cuando SWART recibe fondos federales para comprar autobuses, vehículos u otro equipo elegible, el gobierno federal generalmente cubre el **80% del costo**, mientras que SWART debe conseguir el **20% restante**.

💡 **¿POR QUÉ ES IMPORTANTE SABER ESTO?**

El costo real de proporcionar un viaje en transporte público es mucho mayor que la tarifa que paga el pasajero.

**¡Su tarifa es accesible porque el transporte público está subsidiado mediante fondos federales, estatales y aportaciones locales!**

Cada viaje implica mucho más que combustible. Se necesitan conductores, vehículos, mantenimiento, seguros, tecnología, despachadores y personal administrativo para mantener un servicio seguro, confiable y accesible.

❤️ **¡EL TRANSPORTE PÚBLICO ES UNA INVERSIÓN EN NUESTRAS COMUNIDADES!**

En SWART trabajamos constantemente para obtener los recursos financieros y establecer las alianzas locales necesarias para mantener el transporte público accesible para nuestros pasajeros en los ocho condados que servimos.

El transporte público conecta a las personas con empleos, servicios médicos, educación, compras y otros servicios esenciales. También fortalece nuestras economías locales y brinda independencia y movilidad a quienes más lo necesitan.

🌟 **¿Cuál es el mensaje más importante?**

¡El transporte público accesible no sucede por casualidad! Se necesita una inversión conjunta de los gobiernos federal, estatal y local para mantener nuestras comunidades en movimiento.

🚌💙 **SWART — ¡Conectando Comunidades, Creando Oportunidades y Manteniendo al Suroeste de Texas en Movimiento!**

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10/14/2026

🚌💙 **DID YOU KNOW? How Is Public Transportation Funded?** 💵

Have you ever wondered how SWART can provide affordable public transportation throughout Southwest Texas?

**The answer is simple: Public transportation is a shared investment!** 🤝

Public transit systems like Southwest Area Regional Transit (SWART) rely on a combination of **federal, state, and local funding** to keep buses running and fares affordable for the communities we serve.

💰 **HERE'S HOW IT WORKS!**

🇺🇸 **Federal Funding:** The federal government provides funding to help cover the cost of operating public transportation services and purchasing vehicles and equipment.

⭐ **State Funding:** The State of Texas also contributes funding to support public transportation, particularly in rural communities.

🤝 **Local Matching Funds:** Here's something many people don't realize! Federal operating assistance generally requires a dollar-for-dollar match. That means for every $1 in federal operating funds, transit systems must secure another $1 in eligible matching funds!

🚍 **Capital Investments:** When SWART receives federal funding to purchase buses, vehicles, or other eligible capital equipment, the federal government generally covers 80% of the cost, while SWART must secure the remaining 20%.

💡 **WHY DOES THIS MATTER?**

The actual cost of providing a public transportation ride is much higher than the fare a passenger pays.

**Your fare is affordable because public transportation is subsidized through federal, state, and local funding!**

Every trip involves more than just fuel. It takes drivers, vehicles, maintenance, insurance, technology, dispatchers, and administrative support to keep public transportation safe, reliable, and accessible.

❤️ **PUBLIC TRANSIT IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES!**

At SWART, we work hard to secure the funding and local partnerships necessary to keep transportation affordable for our riders across our eight-county service area.

Public transportation connects people to jobs, healthcare, education, shopping, and essential services. It supports our local economies and provides independence and mobility to those who need it most.

🌟 **The bottom line? Affordable public transportation doesn't happen by accident. It takes federal, state, and LOCAL investment to keep our communities moving!**

🚌 **SWART — Connecting Communities. Creating Opportunities. Keeping Southwest Texas Moving!**

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