| |
A GROWING SPATIAL MISMATCH separates
jobs from workers with little access to them. More and
more jobs are located in the suburbs rather than in core
urban areas; indeed, suburbs are now home to a majority
of jobs in metropolitan areas (Elliott, Palubinsky, and
Tierney*). Spatial
mismatch is most acute in sprawling cities that lack
an urban core (Pugh*).
Job access problems can be temporal as well as geographical.
Many jobs require work on weekends or night shifts, when
transportation is not readily available (General Accounting
Office [GAO]*).
In 2001, 14.5 percent of workers worked a non-regular
shift (Bureau of Labor Statistics*).
The poor, elderly, disabled, and those without cars depend on public transportation.
Over 90 percent of public assistance recipients don’t own a car (GAO*),
and almost 40 percent of daily public transportation riders are low-income. But
public transportation systems in most areas lack enough routes or hours to reach
the suburbs (Community Transportation Association of America [CTAA]*).
In rural areas, access to public transportation is an acute problem. Almost half
of rural residents have no access to public transportation, and 28 percent of
those who do have negligible service. In a survey of welfare clients, 25 percent
said that transportation was one of the biggest obstacles to keeping their jobs
(Multisystems, Inc.*). Research shows that
reliable transportation, usually achieved through a mix of public and private
modes of transportation, yields “increased
access to employment, higher earnings, and greater employment stability among
the poor” (Blumenberg and Waller*).
Car ownership programs that subsidize the costs of owning autos for clients are
directly associated with better employment prospects, longer working hours, and
higher salaries (Raphael and Rice*; Lucas and Nicholson*).
Community transportation programs try to fix this spatial and temporal mismatch.
Usually operated by nonprofit organizations, public agencies, or private shuttle
or taxi operations, and using vanpools, shuttles, autos, and other transport,
programs provide rides to jobs in far-flung locations and at times when public
transportation is not available (Multisystems, Inc.*). The two most common
clients are those living in rural areas and in the inner city. Many programs
primarily serve families in welfare-to-work programs.
Planning
Although the strategies for these different groups may differ slightly, the
general advice is the same: plan carefully and be flexible in implementation.
Not all metropolitan areas have the same type of spatial mismatch (Katz and Allen*).
Programs should:
 |
Gather four pieces of
information: where are the jobs, when are the applicable
job shifts, where are the people who need jobs, and
what are the existing public transportation routes.
Also note public transportation routes that are consistently
in high demand, as they may not provide reliable on-time
service, and locations of day care, schools, job training
centers, and other essential services (Blumenberg and
Ong*; CTAA*;
Katz and Allen*).
Technical tools exist to aid this information-gathering.
For example, researchers at Case Western University
have developed a way to geographically map the locations
of low skill job openings and the unemployed in the
Cleveland metropolitan area (Bania and Leete*).
Information sources are local chambers of commerce,
welfare agencies, and metropolitan planning and transit
agencies (CTAA*; U.S. Department of Transportation*). |
|
Bring in stakeholders. |
| |
|
Job placement service
providers, such as programs that match employers
and employees, need to know that you are not a
competitor for taking credit for their placements.
Reassure them by clarifying the referral process
and expectations (Public/Private Ventures*). |
|
Employers’ needs
should be paramount in the planning process. Employers
want to be able to fill positions quickly, so transportation
programs need to be able to quickly assess their
ability to cover a route. Employers can also provide
valuable information on shift schedules and new
business openings and locations (Elliott, Palubinsky,
and Tierney*).
Local chambers of commerce can also help by publicizing
the program to their members (Stommes, Brown, and
Houston*). |
|
Transportation planners and
authorities can point out potential overlapping
services and provide advice on needed routes and
types of transportation (Elliott, Palubinsky, and
Tierney*;
GAO*). |
|
Welfare agency case managers
can be a “reality test” of the program,
providing feedback and advice (Stommes, Brown,
and Houston*). |
|
|
Consider whether helping clients
purchase autos would be most useful (CTAA*).
In rural areas, cars can be more practical if the program
helps clients get car repairs as needed (Dewees*). |
|
Choosing the type of transportation
(vans, autos, etc.) and the transportation provider
are crucial decisions; the community’s population
and employer density and location patterns all contribute
to the decision (Blumenberg and Waller*).
Pick transportation providers with the capacity and
vehicles that are the best fit for the program. Avoid
providers that are not primarily involved in transportation,
because they often lack the expertise to run an access
program (Elliott, Palubinsky, and Tierney*). |
|
Secure transportation funding for
the program from employers, rider fees, the public
sector (federal agency, state or metropolitan area
grants), and through private capital such as Community
Reinvestment Funds (Public/Private Ventures 2001). |
Implementation
|
Conduct outreach to
potential employees. No one technique is preferable
for outreach; programs have found that it is necessary
to be flexible and to continue direct outreach even
when word of mouth begins to work (Elliott, Palubinsky,
and Tierney 1999). |
|
Some programs combine transportation
with job training and matching. For those dual programs: |
| |
|
Evaluate clients
and refer those who are not ready to begin work.
Many job access programs have found they have to
provide instruction in “soft” skills
such as dressing for work and interacting with
co-workers, but trying to help clients with family,
substance abuse or other serious problems diverts
resources from the program (Elliott, Palubinsky,
and Tierney 1999). |
|
Match employers
and workers quickly. The window for finding a match
and assuring access before a client drops out is
about two weeks (Elliott, Palubinsky, and Tierney
1999). |
|
|
Be flexible but practical in meeting
clients’ needs. People’s addresses and jobs
will change; employers may want clients to come to
work on little notice. In particular, clients need
to be able to get a ride home from work in emergencies.
On the other hand, making stops at day care and other
non-work stops along the way might prevent others from
getting to and from work more quickly, which can lead
to dropouts (Elliott, Palubinsky, and Tierney 1999).
Providing cellphones for drivers helps them respond
and coordinate service quickly (Multisystems, Inc.
2000). |
|
Ensure financial stability of the
access program; job access programs can be plagued
by financial shortcomings, and criteria for government
grants change frequently (GAO 2002). |
Follow Up
|
Monitor ridership patterns
to ensure use and practicality. Drivers can provide
information about route use, and can also be a feedback
mechanism for client suggestions (Elliott, Palubinsky,
and Tierney*). |
|
Monitor clients’ work and travel
experience, such as hours worked, income, and time
spent in transit. Phone calls, dinners, and retention
awards are all effective ways to keep in touch with
clients (Elliott, Palubinsky, and Tierney 1999). |
|
Adapt if needed to changes in the
economy, such as a shift in the location of jobs or
a tight job market (Elliott, Palubinsky, and Tierney*). |
PUBLICATION FINDER
 |
Access to
Jobs: A Guide to Innovative Practices in Welfare-to-Work
Transportation
Community Transportation
Association of America
Read Document
An overview of welfare reform and spatial mismatch,
as well as an overview of innovative local and
state transportation efforts and funding sources.
There is also a section on technical assistance
and resources. 1999.
|
| |
|
|
Moving Rural Residents
to Work: Lessons Learned from Implementation
of Eight Job Access and Reverse Commute Projects
Eileen S. Stommes, Dennis M. Brown, and Capree M.
Houston
Read Document
An evaluation report of eight rural areas receiving funding
under the Job Access and Reverse Commute program in 1999.
The authors examined various program components including
implementation, outreach, partnership development, and
lessons learned. Washington, D.C.: Federal Transit Administration,
2002.
|
| |
|
|
 Our Role in the Process:
A Grassroots Guide to Building Community-Based
Employment Transportation
Community Transportation Association of America and
Center for Community Change
Download Document
This guidebook outlines the planning, funding, and implementation
phases for developing an employment transportation service.
Also included are program examples and additional resources.
2002.
|
| |
|
|
 Overcoming Roadblocks
on the Way to Work: Bridges to Work Field Report
Mark Elliot, Beth Palubinsky, and Joseph Tierney
Download Document
A final report of the Bridges to Work demonstration project,
an 18-month program in five cities to provide job access.
The authors provide a rich description of barriers faced
along the way, particularly perceived competition by
job training and placement programs. Philadelphia: Public/Private
Ventures, 1999.
|
| |
|
|
Transportation: The
Vital Link between Employment and Economic Development
-- An Introduction to Community Transportation
Community Transportation Association of America
Download Document
An introduction to the range of transportation options
available, such as transit versus paratransit and fixed
versus demand-response routes. It also describes various
government-funding sources for transportation programs
and recommendations for building a program and securing
funding. 2001.
|
WEB SITE FINDER
|
