Resources for Workforce Development Agencies and Organizations

The jobseekers you serve need transportation that is accessible, reliable, and affordable in order to get to jobs, classes, and training programs. The following resources can help you incorporate transportation services into your work:

• Resources and tools from state and national sources to help you build partnerships with transportation
• Local examples of how organizations in Massachusetts are currently providing employment transportation
• Research on why transportation matters for employment of low-income populations

Resources and Tools

• Organizations in Massachusetts that can help you incorporate transportation into your work.
• Work Without Limits (WWL) is a statewide initiative to increase the employment of people with disabilities. Transportation is an important component of their work.
• Recommendations on addressing employment-related transportation needs from the U.S. Department of Labor.
• JobLinks connects workforce development agencies, transportation providers, and other stakeholders around the country with transportation-to-work solutions that are affordable, reliable, and accessible. For example, they developed a toolkit for the business community with information on why commuting matters to business success and how employers can support workers’ commutes. JobLinks is an initiative of the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA).

Local Examples

• The North Shore Career Center provides transportation options to help North Shore residents get and keep jobs.
• Created by non-profits in Northern Berkshire County, BerkshireRides provides employment transportation.  

Research

• Sector strategies. These briefs present research on the transportation needs of low-wage workers in some of the key sectors that are powering the economy, including healthcare and manufacturing. Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA), 2012.
• Missed Opportunity: Transit and Jobs in Metro America. This report finds that higher rates of high-skill jobs are accessible by public transit, compared to low-skill jobs. Brookings Institution, 2011.
• Commuting to Opportunity. This report assesses the impact of commuting expenses on the budgets of low-income workers and their households. Brookings Institution, 2008.
• The Long Journey to Work. Although somewhat dated, this report provides a clear, strong background on some of the challenges and opportunities in transportation for low-income commuters. The author explores a range of approaches, including public transit, door-to-door services, and programs that support car ownership. Brookings Institution, 2003.