Public Transportation

Job Access and Reverse Commute (Section 5316)

Federal transit law, as amended by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), requires that projects selected for funding under the Job Access and Reverse Commute (Section 5316) program be "derived from a locally developed, coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan" and that the plan be "developed through a process that includes representatives of public, private, and non-profit transportation and human services providers and participation by members of the public."

History: Established in 1997 under TEA-21, Section 5316 actually evolved out of the Access to Work Program which was designed to provide transportation to TANF recipients to and from training and employment with the idea of transitioning them from the TANF program. Since then, the program has been expanded and combined with federal efforts to create more connections to suburban employment centers for low-income individuals. The program is also administered through the states and it is at the state level that specific funding decisions are made.

Program Goal: The goal of the JARC program is to improve access to transportation services to employment and employment related activities for welfare recipients and low-income individuals and to transport residents of urbanized areas and non-urbanized areas to suburban employment opportunities.

Eligible Activities: Eligible projects may include, but are not limited to capital, planning, and operating assistance to support activities such as:

• Late-night and weekend service; Guaranteed ride home service; Shuttle service; Ridesharing and carpooling activities and other services designed to support employee commutes made on alternative modes;
• Expanding fixed-route public transit routes or demand-responsive van service;
• Transit-related aspects of bicycling (such as bike racks on vehicles and bike parking)
• Car loan programs to assist individuals in purchasing or maintaining vehicles for shared rides;
• Promotion, through marketing efforts, of the use of transit, use of transit voucher programs, development of employer-provided transportation such as shuttles, ridesharing, carpooling, or use of transit pass programs;
• Supporting the administration and expenses related to voucher programs.
• Acquiring Geographic Information System (GIS) tools;
• Implementing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS);
• Integrating automated regional public transit and human service transportation information, scheduling and dispatch functions;
• Deploying vehicle position-monitoring systems;
• Subsidizing the costs associated with adding reverse commute bus, train, carpool van routes or service from urbanized areas and non-urbanized areas to suburban work places; subsidizing the purchase or lease by a non-profit organization or public agency of a van or bus dedicated to shuttling employees from their residences to a suburban workplace;
• Otherwise facilitating the provision of public transportation services to suburban employment opportunities; and
• Supporting new mobility management and coordination programs among public transportation providers and other human service agencies providing transportation.