As car costs rise, TX nonprofit puts families behind the wheel and on the road to stability

OnRamp DFW helps families get behind the wheel as transportation costs rise.

While rising housing costs draw a lot of attention, transportation is the second-largest expense for American households, and it's becoming more expensive.

Used car prices are up, the supply of lower-cost vehicles is shrinking, and in areas without robust public transit, not having a car can put a job and financial stability at risk.

In sprawling, fast-growing North Texas, where many jobs and neighborhoods aren't easily connected by public transit, not having a vehicle can cost more than money.

"If you haven't thought about the barriers that people without a vehicle face, just think about what would tomorrow look like if I didn't have my car," said Taylor Russell, executive director of OnRamp DFW.

Russell helps Texans struggling without reliable transportation.

"It creates a lot of barriers for upward mobility. It creates a lot of barriers for jobs. It creates a lot of barriers for people to spend time with their children," Russell said.

"It creates barriers for people to connect with communities, which makes life in general just ... it's tough. Tough."

To help, the nonprofit accepts donated vehicles and places them with families in need.

One of those recipients is Tonya Akers.

NBC 5 first met Akers last year when OnRamp donated an Infiniti to the single mother.

Before receiving the vehicle, getting to work meant taking two buses and two trains, a three-hour commute each way.

The commute consumed valuable time and added stress.

"I got a call that my son had a seizure. And I'm like, 'Oh my God, what can I do?' Because at this moment, I don't have a vehicle, and I have to rely on transportation to come and get me, to take me to the train," Akers said. "When all that happened, I'm telling you, I was at a train station for two whole hours."

A year later, she says her life has changed dramatically.

"Now he knows, like I know, Mom's gonna be at home at a decent time instead of 9 or 10 o'clock at night," Akers said.

Russell says access to a vehicle can affect nearly every part of a family's life.

"This is relief, right? This is a way that I get hours back in my day for myself, for my children. I get money back in my account," he said.

Even as OnRamp helps more families, Russell says the need continues to grow.

The nonprofit expects to provide vehicles to 30 families this year, a record for the organization. But that's only a fraction of the demand.

At the same time, the average used vehicle now costs more than $27,000, and the supply of vehicles priced below $15,000 has sharply declined.

That is bringing more families to On-Ramp who might once have been able to buy a vehicle themselves.

It's also making it more difficult for the nonprofit to fulfill its mission.

"Used car prices are keeping their value a lot longer, which means we're receiving fewer donations," Russell said.

Higher gas prices, insurance costs, parts costs, and maintenance expenses are also driving up the cost of ownership.

As a result, OnRamp has raised one of its financial requirements.

Families must show they have enough money left in their monthly budget to cover the ongoing costs of owning a vehicle.

The organization previously required applicants to have $200 in monthly reserves. That requirement has increased to $300.

When asked whether she would have qualified under the new requirement, Akers didn't hesitate.

"Honestly, I don't think so," she said.

Russell says those decisions aren't easy.

"We've had to say no to people, and those are heartbreaking moments," he said.

The nonprofit is also feeling the impact of higher costs.

OnRamp helps families with maintenance during their first year of vehicle ownership. Local auto shops donate services to help keep expenses down.

Still, Russell says the cost of even basic maintenance has increased significantly over the past four years.

"Their costs for their goods are going up, right? Their parts are going up, which means that even just taking your car in for simple maintenance now is sometimes 5%, 10% or 20% more than it used to be just a few years ago," he said.

Despite those challenges, On-Ramp is on track for its biggest year yet. Russell says he wishes the organization could do even more and is actively looking for additional vehicle donations.

More donated vehicles mean more success stories like Akers'.

"I'm able to get to work on time. I'm able to travel to my son's events," she said. "It's an honor to just come out knowing that I have a vehicle and I'm about to get in and go.

OnRamp DFW is looking for more donated vehicles to help meet demand. Information on the types of vehicles the organization can accept, along with other ways to support the program, can be found here.