Part 2: Rural Public and Intercity Bus: Moving Rural Residents to Work

Rural areas present special challenges for meeting the transportation needs of individuals, especially people without cars. Congress established the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program in 1998 to assist states and localities in developing transportation services to connect welfare recipients and other low-income residents to jobs and other support programs. There are key results of a study examining eight rural areas receiving JARC funding in Fiscal Year 1999. Specific program elements include the implementation process, transportation services provided, and solutions developed to deal with the challenges of distance and low population densities that rural transit systems frequently face.