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Rural Governments Face Public Transportation Challenges and Opportunities
Poor rural households are three times more likely than nonpoor
rural households to be without a vehicle. Public transportation
serves about 60 percent of all rural counties, including 28 percent
with limited service. For low-income rural residents, long commutes
and lack of transportation are barriers to working. Limited transportation
options also isolate the rural poor from government services and
programs designed to lift them out of poverty. To address some
of these challenges in rural areas, the Federal Government is providing
public transportation through the Job Access and Reverse Commute
(JARC) program.
Congress created the JARC grant program in 1998 to complement
the 1996 welfare reform act. Administered by the U.S. Department
of Transportation, JARC’s aim is to transport recipients
of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and low-income
residents to jobs, training, and other social services. JARC also
encourages development of transit services in new areas or expansion
of existing services by complementing the transportation assistance
from service agencies, such as those providing health care, education,
and child support to rural residents.
A recent ERS study found that JARC services were successfully
implemented in rural areas. Existing partnerships among local human
service providers (such as social service agencies and job training
organizations) led to cost sharing and expanded ridership as well
as strengthened transit service. Funding from many sources, including
Federal, State, and local governments, as well as human service
program funds and transit fares, helped to ensure a viable rural
transit service. ERS researchers concluded that local and State
governments have opportunities to successfully develop and implement
rural transit services to serve new locations and to expand existing
services (such as bus routes and van service).
Many local communities and States face challenges in implementing
the program. Like most rural transit systems, JARC service in nonmetro
communities often has high per rider costs due to long distances
and low population densities. Funding disruptions at the national,
State, and local levels also threaten sustainability of transit
service and create public perceptions of service unreliability.
Administrative reporting requirements can also delay transit implementation,
and electronic reporting systems are often not feasible due to
incompatibility with system capabilities in many rural areas. Simultaneous
implementation of welfare, workforce training, and transit programs
resulted in initial implementation slowdowns and contributed to
frequent staff turnover from bus drivers to case workers. Future
success of the program in terms of job placement and retention
will largely depend on employer involvement in local recruitment
and community outreach.
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