Employment transportation and workforce development

Employment transportation information for workforce development professionals helping jobseekers and employees access jobs in Massachusetts.

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.

Find a Ride

• I'm looking for transportation
• Ride Match - searchable, online database of public and private transportation options in Massachusetts
• Google Transit - search for fixed-route transit such as bus service near a jobsite
• Baystate Commute - find someone to carpool with
• Transit authorities in Massachusetts 
• Transportation Management Associations

Strategies

• Think about the commute from the beginning of your job search! Don't wait until the last minute to plan transportation
• Partnering and coordinating with other organizations
• Commute options guidance from MassDOT
• Car ownership programs
• Employment transportation strategies from across the country

Local Examples

• Youth Pass - reduced-fare MBTA passes are available to eligible youth in participating cities and towns
• Tasks for Transit - charity offering a "Job Fare Kit" with a 31-day bus pass for new hires in Worcester
• READYBUS provides employment transportation in four towns in South Central Massachusetts
• DTA offices in Framingham and Worcester partner with transportation providers on employment transportation
• Quaboag Connector - organizations in the Ware area began a transportation service to help low-income residents access education and employment opportunities
• Community Action Rides (CARS) helps low-income residents of Berkshire County acquire cars through providing low-interest loans and financial literacy coaching
• MassMobility newsletter - monthly updates on new initiatives and opportunities to expand mobility and access in Massachusetts

Research

• Getting to Work: Effective State Solutions to Help People With Transportation Challenges Access Jobs. This report documents approaches that states are taking to help people with disabilities, low incomes, or other mobility challenges access transportation to employment. National Conference of State Legislatures, 2015.
• Getting to Work: Addressing the Transportation Challenge. This short brief offers strategies for human service agency staff who are helping individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities overcome transportation barriers to find employment. State Employment Leadership Network, 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.