Devolution and Transport Policy for the Working Poor: The Case of the US Job Access and Reverse Commute Program

For more than a decade US transport policy has shifted or 'devolved' responsibility for transportation decision making away from the federal government toward lower jurisdictions. Decentralization is intended to foster social experimentation and, ultimately, improve transit planning and service provision. This study examines the merits of devolution through an analysis of the federal Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) grant program, created as part of the 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. The JARC program funds state and regional transportation agencies to provide transit services to low-wage workers. The evidence suggests that the devolution of federal transportation authority has helped to create new and innovative transportation services targeted to low-wage workers. However, the program's weaknesses offer potential strategies for strengthening the benefits of devolution such as ensuring the reliability of federal funds, flexibility in the use of these funds, and greater program accountability.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/14649357
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Taylor & Francis.
• Authors:
  • Blumenberg, Evelyn
  • Schweitzer, Lisa
• Publication Date: 2006-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 7-25
• Serial:
  • Planning Theory & Practice
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Routledge
  • ISSN: 14649357

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic policy; Federal government agencies; Financing; Government agencies; Local government agencies; Low income groups; Public policy; Public transit; Reverse commuting; Socioeconomic factors; State government agencies; Transportation departments; Transportation policy
• Identifier Terms: Job Access and Reverse Commute; Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
• Uncontrolled Terms: Accountability; Federalism; Welfare-to-Work
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Society; I10: Economics and Administration; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01050083
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 30 2007 3:04PM