Transporting People, Transforming Lives - TMACC

40 Pages·2010·6.55 MB·English

Transporting People, Transforming Lives
About This Publication
The Transportation Management Association of Chester County
(TMACC) was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation (PennDOT) to highlight the importance of
transportation programs funded by the Job Access and Reverse
Commute (JARC) program. JARC, which is administered by the
Federal Transit Administration, was established to address the unique
transportation challenges faced by welfare recipients and low-
income persons seeking to obtain and maintain employment.

TMACC interviewed commuters and businesses throughout
Pennsylvania and compiled their testimonials in this publication.
Their testimonials illustrate the value of JARC and its effect on the
lives of people and businesses that rely on JARC-funded programs.
Transporting People, Transforming Lives
Job Access ReveRse commute
Improving access to jobs is essential to the economic viability of Despite the overwhelming success of
America. Millions of employers throughout the country rely on transit JARC, funding for the program may
agencies to provide transportation services for their employees to be eliminated or signifcantly cut
commute to work on a daily basis. if Congress fails to reauthorize the
federal surface transportation bill,
Many transit agencies have developed specialized service that links
SAFETEA-LU.
lower-income communities to employment opportunities. In many
cases, these transit routes provide service from urban areas to jobs in SAFETEA-LU – the Safe, Accountable, Flexible,
retail and commercial sectors in the suburbs. The Job Access Reverse Effcient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users – is the bill that
Commute (JARC) program provides funding for these transportation governs United States federal surface transportation spending. It expired
services. on September 30, 2009. Congress is expected to begin working on a
replacement bill for the next six-year period in 2011.
The two major goals of the JARC program are to provide transportation
services in urban, suburban and rural areas to assist welfare recipients
and low-income individuals in gaining access to employment
opportunities, and to increase collaboration among transportation
providers, human service agencies, employers, metropolitan planning
organizations (MPOs), states and communities in providing access to
employment.
This publication provides a platform for the individuals, companies
and social service industries that rely on JARC-funded programs. The
testimonials of employees and employers highlight the importance of the
JARC program.
Coatesville Link provides
From a business perspective, JARC is an economic development tool. It
daily access to and from
improves transit accessibility to employment centers, helping businesses
places of employment
expand its pool of prospective employees and improve recruitment and
retention efforts.
From a societal perspective, JARC provides individuals an opportunity
to successfully transition into the workforce. Testimonials from single
parents to ex-offenders illustrate the life-altering impact of JARC.
Being able to move from welfare dependency to fnancial independence
encourages people to succeed and provide a better future for themselves
and their families.
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“Improving access
to jobs is essential
to the economic
viability of America.”
Transporting People, Transforming Lives
A HistoRY An economic LifeLine
The Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC)
The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) created JARC. Under program created by TEA-21 has been
TEA-21, funding awards were based on regional interest and demonstrated commitment a powerful tool in creating new job
to serving low income population centers through earmarks. In Pennsylvania, the opportunities for low income individuals.
majority of funding—approximately $7 million annually—was awarded in southeastern JARC projects have provided transportation
and southwestern Pennsylvania. The result was a variety of services designed and from center city to suburban job sites, have
coordinated to meet the diverse transportation needs of employers, employees and job extended service hours to meet second and
seekers in each region. third shift transportation needs for entry level
positions and have created access to critical
SAFETEA-LU resulted in a major change to JARC funding distribution. Instead of
employment support sites, particularly child
earmarks directed to well established and utilized services, it distributes formula funding
care and job training facilities. To meet the
throughout the Commonwealth. The results are:
growing transportation needs of low-income
1. A signifcant reduction in funding levels in Pennsylvania’s two major urbanized areas individuals seeking reliable transportation
by almost 60%, from $7 million to approximately $3 million annually. to employment and related support services,
JARC must have adequate funding and the
2. A small JARC program of funding—approximately $2 million annually—for small program must be focused on results rather
urban and rural areas of the Commonwealth. than process.
3. The creation of incredible administrative requirements in relation to the level of JARC provides access to jobs; creates
funding to access JARC funds. employment opportunities; encourages
business development; spurs economic
4. The diversion of funds from urban
development; and offers a sense of
areas which actually have reverse
independence to those who were once reliant
commute opportunities to rural
on public assistance. JARC is responsible for
areas where the need is minimal
thousands of success stories, several of which
— resulting in rural projects
are outlined in this packet.
which are unlikely to produce
the level of benefts currently
occurring in the urbanized areas.
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REAUTHORIZATION RECOMMENDATION
JARC should be reauthorized in a manner
consistent with an overall concept which
emphasizes streamlining the number of
federal programs and the administrative
requirements while focusing on results.
Transporting People, Transforming Lives
Pittsburgh — Restoring Lives and Communities
Andrew Sims sat stunned next to his mother and aunt in the pews 3,250 Pittsburgh-area residents to
of Central Baptist Church on Nov. 16, 2008. He was the one being attend programs to help them gain
praised. employment. Since it’s inception in
2006, the ETAP has help more than
His pastor, Rev. Victor J. Grigsby, and his fellow worshippers applauded
75 percent of Travelers Aid clients
him. Sims was named the church’s 2008 Man of the Year for his work
retain employment.
at the church and in his community. It is a signifcant honor. Central
Baptist Church, located in the city’s Hill District for 114 years, is one “I try to tell any and everybody about the
of the oldest and most active churches in Pittsburgh. The church program,” Sims said. “That’s how you get the word out.”
has a charter school, a credit union and a community development
With the support of CWDC-East and transportation assistance from
corporation with plans to build senior housing, a community center and
ETAP, Sims found a job at a local restaurant. His experience has
retail businesses.
inspired him to dream and begin planning to operate his own restaurant
Sims’ journey to that November day of his life had been a little in the near future. When he’s not at work, Sims cooks meals for the
bumpy. A run-in with the law landed Sims, a Patterson, N.J. native, homeless at his church’s soup kitchen.
on probation a few years ago. He moved to Pittsburgh two years ago
to be closer to family. Being an ex-offender, his efforts to fnd stable
employment were not successful. Sims did not have the resources to
rebuild his life. He wanted and believed in his own rehabilitation. He
found others who believed in him.
His determination led him to Carena Phillips, director of the Career
and Workforce Development Center East (CWDC-East) in Pittsburgh.
Her organization has a program specifcally to help ex-offenders, like
Sims, fnd employment as well as attend other meetings and activities in
relation to their rehabilitation.
The recidivism rate among ex-offenders drops signifcantly when they
are able to obtain employment. However, Sims, like the majority of
people in the ex-offenders’ program, did not have a car and needed
transportation to job interviews and job training.
“It’s important to help them reduce the barriers frst by looking at what
issues they have,” Phillips said. “We look at the entire picture before we
place a person in a job.”
The CWDC-East participates in the Travelers Aid’s Employment
Transportation Assistance Program (ETAP), which enables more than
Andrew Sims waits for his bus home from work.
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“The transportation
assistance enabled
Sims to save money
and build a foundation
for a better, more
productive life.”
Transporting People, Transforming Lives
“Without the JARC funds, we would not be able to provide these clients
the bus passes to attend employment related activities, because JARC
funding enables us to manage the program,” said Melissa Katich, ETAP
Program Director.
The goal of the ETAP is to see an improvement of employment and
training program completion, as well as retention and advancement
success rates through the provision of dedicated transportation
assistance. Participants receive up to 18 months transportation
assistance; however, the majority of participants complete the program
in six months.
By utilizing social service and non-proft agencies throughout the
Pittsburgh area, the ETAP has successfully grown into an essential
program.
Linda Rohrbaugh, Assistant Director of the Northern Area Multi-
Service Center of Allegheny County, uses the ETAP to break down
transportation barriers for her clients.
“The program has permitted us to work with our participants focusing
on learning to budget transportation as a necessity to job success,”
Andrew Sims preparing meals at the Central Baptist Church Soup Kitchen. Rohrbaugh said. “Our statistics indicate that the participants in the
ETAP increased income at all levels. Participants reported that they were
His personal journey of redemption and his work with his church earned able to keep appointments on a more regular basis. There were fewer
him the church’s Man of the Year Award. program dropouts than compared to those participants not receiving the
benefts of the ETAP.”
JARC made it possible for Sims’ success. The transportation assistance
enabled Sims to save money and build a foundation for a better, more
productive life.
Travelers Aid, a non-proft, United Way agency providing social service
programs to people in need of public transportation, uses a JARC
grant to administer its Employment Transportation Assistance Program
(ETAP).
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Transporting People, Transforming Lives
lancaster — Job Retention
Pam Winder has a sparkling personality and a hot pink cane. She needs Despite all of her challenges, Winder is
both to do her job. Without public transit, she wouldn’t even have a doing well. Since she’s been working at
job. Wal-Mart, Winder has earned enough
money to move out of subsidized
For the past seven years, Winder has worked at a Wal-Mart Superstore
housing into a nicer, safer apartment
in Lancaster, where she specializes in customer service. Her pleasant
complex. She wonders how long she’ll
disposition is an asset when she is assisting shoppers and answering calls
be eligible to use the late-night shuttle.
to the store. She works the second shift – 2 to 11 p.m.
Marchel E. Simmons, customer service manager for Red Rose Transit,
Because there isn’t any public transit service in Lancaster after 10:30
explained that the goal of JARC-funded programs is to help people like
p.m., Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) developed the Metro Area
Winder become fnancially independent. Like subsidized housing, the
Demand Responsive Services program which provides special shuttle
Metro Area Demand Responsive Services program has income eligibility
service for second and third shift workers in the Lancaster metropolitan
requirements. Customers must have income levels within 150 percent of
region. The “door-to-door” shuttle service is limited to a six-mile radius
the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (FPIG’s) to use the service. Those
of Lancaster City. The program is funded by the Job Access Reverse
who earn more are expected to solve their own transportation problems;
Commute (JARC) program.
for example, buying a car.
Winder has used the late night shuttle service for the past four years.
As of Spring 2009, nearly 200 people use the late-night shuttle each
She would not be able to work without it. She estimates that it would
month. Simmons expects more to use the service when she begins
cost about $25 to take a taxi home from work. She pays $2.50 a night
promoting the service to restaurants and retail businesses that need
for the shuttle.
employees to work later shifts.
“That’s my only means of transportation,” she said. “I would have
to beg people to take me home. People don’t take care of each other
anymore. It’s bad. You can’t depend on people anymore.”
Walking is not an option either for the 55-year-old grandmother.
Winder has endured sciatic nerve problems ever since she was involved
in a near-fatal car accident a few years ago. She has pain in her back,
hips and knees. She also has carpel tunnel syndrome in both wrists.
“I can’t stand too long. I can’t sit too long,” she said, grabbing her hot
pink cane.
Wal-Mart employee Trinnissa Lindsey
utilizes Red Rose Transit Authority for
“door-to-door” shuttle service.
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“With the economy
being bad, our
associates defnitely
need transportation
alternatives.”
Transporting People, Transforming Lives
Russell Lancaster, co-manager of the Wal-Mart, said the
shuttle service helps Wal-Mart retain many of its 330
employees.
“With the economy being bad, our associates defnitely
need transportation alternatives,” he said. “We just lost an
associate due to transportation issues.”
Bill Edgington works in the dairy department of the Wal-
Mart Superstore. Like Winder, he works the second shift
and takes the shuttle home.
“It’s an extremely necessary program for many people,”
Edgington said. “[If service was discontinued] I probably
would have to change my hours, if that would be possible.”
The Wal-Mart Superstore is open 24 hours and 364 days
a year. The store is only closed on Christmas Day. Wal-
Mart employees relish working on holidays because of the
overtime pay. Unfortunately, the late-night shuttle does
not operate on holidays. Employees looking to earn extra
money by working on holidays face familiar transportation
issues.
“On holidays, I would have to bum a ride from someone,”
Edgington said.
Additional JARC funding would allow Red Rose Transit
to expand its services to meet the needs of employees like
Edgington.
Wal-Mart Co-Manager Russell Lancaster at bus stop near the store.
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Transporting People, Transforming Lives
Pittsburgh — Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
Denise Blackwell spends her day helping at-risk kids. Some are abused. “I like the service because it’s
Some are runaways. Some are homeless. convenient and free,” said Tracey
Coleman, an employee of the
As an employee of Three Rivers Youth, a private non-proft agency that
Housing Authority of the City of
provides services to at-risk Pittsburgh youth between the ages of 12 and
Pittsburgh. “I ride the van to and
21, Denise is a witness to some heart-wrenching situations. Helping
from my job everyday. If I didn’t
these children break the cycle of poverty and become successful is
have WorkLink, I would have to
challenging and incredibly rewarding work.
catch a jitney and that would be
very costly.”
To be able to help these children, Blackwell needed someone to help
her frst. She does not have a car and commuting to work was diffcult.
Like Blackwell and Coleman, 80 percent of WorkLink riders use the
Blackwell relies on public transportation.
service to get to work, while the other 20 percent use the van service
to get to health care appointments, school, job training, and child care
The Heritage Health Foundation, Inc. (HHFI), a non-proft organization
facilities. With an easy application process and no income restrictions,
that helps rebuild the social infrastructure of Western Pennsylvania
both adults and children can use the WorkLink program to get around
Monongahela and Turtle Creek valleys, provides free shuttle service
the City of Pittsburgh.
for workers like Blackwell. For the past seven years, she has used the
HHFI’s WorkLink shuttle to get to work.
HHFI’s Loewy is confdent about the WorkLink program’s sustained
success; however, he said funding is crucial to the continuation of the
“I love it,” she said.
program.
The free shuttle service allows her to reduce her commute and her
“WorkLink could not continue to operate without JARC funding or
transportation costs. She uses the savings “to buy other necessities, like
indeed Pennsylvania state match [grant],” he said.
groceries.”
Providing trips to nearly 6,000 regular riders, the WorkLink shuttle
service has became an essential and dependable service for many
residents.
“WorkLink was created to assist isolated communities; our goal is to
help people get and keep good jobs by reducing geographic limitations,”
said Miles Loewy, HHFI Director of Community Service. “Some of the
areas we serve have such narrow streets, steep hills and tight turns that
they aren’t accessible to buses and many of our riders don’t own cars.
Our safe, reliable transportation is vital to our riders.”
Within the shuttle’s service area of East Pittsburgh, Braddock, North
Braddock, Swissvale, Rankin and Clairton, more than 43 percent of
residents are low-income and nearly 29 percent are living at the poverty
level.
9 WorkLink commuter on his way home.
“WorkLink was created
to assist isolated
communities; our goal
is to help people get
and keep good jobs by
reducing geographic
limitations.”
Transporting People, Transforming Lives
West sadsbury — Independence
The left side of Emanuel Owens’ body was still weak from a stroke he “JARC is a critical component of our overall workforce development
suffered a few weeks after New Year’s Day 2008. While he has regained and transportation strategies.”
some movement and strength, he still needs his cane to walk.
Back in Coatesville, the city struggles with the shift from an industrial to
“Manny,” a 66-year-old father of fve, grandfather of sixteen and great- a service-oriented economy. The unemployment rate in this city of about
grandfather of fve is determined to regain his life and continue working. 12,000 is over nine percent.
The stroke has not stopped him. Not having public transit to get to
“The bus service has been the lifeline for Coatesville and the
work would.
surrounding areas,” says Assistant City Manager Kirby Hudson. And
Owens takes a JARC-funded bus ten miles from his home in Coatesville, Manny Owens has used that lifeline to survive.
Pennsylvania to his job at the West Sadsbury Wal-Mart dairy
He once relied on the kindness of coworkers to drive him home. At
department. He cannot imagine what his life would be without it or his
other times, strangers would pick him up as he walked several miles to
job.
his home, still sporting his blue Wal-Mart smock with “How may I help
Neither can Wal-Mart Supercenter manager Brent Poteet, who says that you?” on the front.
“out of 500 associates [employees], about 120 of them take the bus.”
“It’s not like I’m independent, but I’m used to doing things for myself,”
JARC is also valued just over the line in Lancaster County. Owens said.
“Transportation issues can be devastating for people transitioning
from welfare to work, but the JARC program has truly come through
for us and helped people stay on the job,” said Robert Patrick, former
Executive Director of the Lancaster County Offce of Assistance.
Wal-Mart “greeter” Manny Owens depends on public transit.
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“Transportation issues can
be devastating for people
transitioning from welfare to
work, but the JARC program
has truly come through for
us and helped people stay
on the job.”