Wisconsin Automotive & Truck Education Association

Get Help

Do you live or work in Marathon County (WI) and need a reliable vehicle to get/keep a job? The Wheels to Work program may be able to help you! Qualifying applicants can either repair or receive a personal vehicle with a 0%-interest loan from WATEA. Staff work with you to develop a personal spending plan with affordable payments so you can get back on the road to financial success!

How To Apply:

Basic Program Qualifications:

To qualify for the Wheels to Work program, you must be able to answer YES to all the following questions:

• Do you need to obtain or fix a vehicle in order to get or keep a job?
• Do you currently live or work in Marathon County?
• Have you been at your current employment at least 8-12 weeks?
• Do you have a valid Wisconsin drivers license?
• Do you earn less than 150% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for your household size^? If not, do you earn less than 200% FPL*?

  You can check the current FPL standards HERE.

  *NOTE: Applicants who earn between 150-200% FPL may still qualify for a loan but require additional review due to grant funding limits.

  *Household definition: Household is defined as the applicant and any individuals residing at the same address who are: (a) the applicant’s spouse; (b) a child who is in the long-term legal custody of the applicant or the applicant’s spouses child (ren); or (c) a cohabiting co-parent of a child who is legally in the custody of both the applicant and the co-parent.

  If an applicant believes that an individual residing at the same address should be either included in or excluded from the household, the applicant may submit a petition to the wheels to work advisory committee requesting an exception to this policy for each such individual. The petition is not required to address any household member whom this policy expressly includes, unless the applicant seeks to have that individual excluded from the household.

Program Policy Documents:

If you answered YES to ALL of the above questions, please review the following documents containing additional information about the Wheels to Work Program:

• W2W Program Quick Reference Guide Quick answers to the most common questions about the W2W Program
• W2W Program Policies Manual Complete guide to all current W2W Program policies & processes; includes sections for General Program, Vehicle Awards, and Vehicle Repairs. Policy was updated June 2026 and is currently being revised now. For eligibility all requirements above must be met at application date.