Caltrans Awards Nearly $18M so Low-Income Residents Can Take Transit to Work

Caltrans announced it is awarding nearly $18 million to 105 public transit projects across California under the Job Access & Reverse Commute and New Freedom programs.

The projects are designed to help low-income people and those with disabilities to access employment and employment-related activities such as job training and job interviews more easily. This includes transporting people to employment opportunities in suburban areas and city centers.

“We want to make it easier for people to get to work,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “People who rely on transit will have more opportunities, and that’s the point of a good transit system.”

Some notable examples include:

• $400,000 to the city of Tulare for the purchase of 32-passenger clean-fuel buses to serve the needs of low-income and disabled students seeking job training opportunities and skills improvement at local community colleges.

• $147,752 to the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments for the 511 Transportation Information Project for San Luis Obispo County, which provides streamlined transportation information in English and Spanish.

• $200,000 to the Victor Valley Transit Authority for a mileage reimbursement program for volunteer drivers serving the disabled and frail elderly residents in San Bernardino County.

For more information go to: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/MassTrans/Docs-Pdfs/Jarc-NF/cycle6--approved.projects.pdf