Kerr-Tar Job Access and Regional Mobility Project

Having reliable transportation to and from work is a necessity. For many people, not having an option for transportation can mean the difference between having a job, or being unemployed. While urban systems continue to expand or maintain services for all riders, in rural areas of the state, public transportation may not be as viable of an option for the general public. Due to limited resources and funding, most service in rural areas is focused on the transportation of the elderly, or Medicaid patients, traveling to and from doctor visits, appointments, etc. Systems that are able to serve the general public may not be able to operate during hours that best fit the needs of those who would use the service for travel to and from work.

To improve access to public transportation for all who wish to use it in Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren counties, the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments’ Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RPO) and Workforce Development Department, along with local human service, education, planning, transportation and economic development staff, are working on a project to increase the availability of transit options. The project is through the Community Transportation Association of America’s (CTAA) Job Access Mobility Institute and is designed to meet the goal of efficiently connecting individuals with limited vehicle access to employment and other daily needs. 

Through spring of this year, the team has drafted prototypes of concept projects, such as changing the perception of who can use public transportation, modifying fixed-route services and schedules that are already in place, recommending new service, and creating a community connect network – a program that connects people who already travel to certain destinations to those in need of a ride. Research is underway within the community amongst potential users to refine these concepts into final prototypes. CTAA will provide micro grants of up to $3,000 for this part of the process; and the U.S.Department of Agriculture is reviewing a technical grant application to help one regional transportation partner set

As an unforeseen second benefit of this program, the partners discovered during their research that in local high schools, special needs students who were taught the basics of living independently were not being taught how to use public transportation. As a result, the Kerr-Tar Regional Transportation Planning Organization is working with the local school system to develop a curriculum that will teach students how to use public transportation, therefore giving them better access to jobs and increasing their quality of life.

For more information on the project, go to http://www.ktcoordinatedplan.com/