Job Access and Reverse Commute (jarc) Program fy 2009 Service Profiles Region X alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington October 2010 fta-08-0162 Job Access and Reverse Commute (jarc) fy 2009 Service Profiles: Region X

YouthCare (147)

YouthCare (107)

Location: King County (WA)
Type: Trip-Based Services/Demand response
Goal: Expanded geographic coverage
Service description: Youthcare provides on demand van service to clients that need assistance in getting to work, to work training, to employment interviews and other job related transportation needs. The program targets transitional youth who often do not have a travel option to training and work. Youthcare includes transportation reliability in their program and the JARC-funded vans support that mission. The JARC funds support all aspects of the program except the van driver. 
Evaluation: Monthly reports are included in request for reimbursement. The data collected include cost, miles driven, hours in service, number of people served, and number of trips.
Accomplishments: The program has expanded through successful partnering with employers for their clients. Agency has recently expanded into helping with “green house remodeling” and the success of the transportation program was used as an element in their application.
Lessons learned: The service started slowly and has grown so you need to work with the agency through the growing period. Partnering with the agency as it expanded its mission to find jobs for transitional youth helps the partner organization succeed.

Zipcar (156)

Zipcar (494)

Location: King County (WA)
Type: Capital Investment Projects/Car-sharing
Goal: Expanded geographic coverage
Service description: Low-income car sharing program that expanded car sharing to low-income housing, low-income neighborhoods, social service agencies, vocational and community colleges, and other locations where mobility and access to transportation to jobs, training, etc. were needed. Program used creative outreach to introduce concept of car sharing and to help individuals use the service.
Evaluation: Car sharing program produced monthly reports, quarterly reports, and annual review of program. Reports are both quantitative and subjective narratives.
Accomplishments: Program exceed expectations for individuals enrolled and outreach that was conducted. As program concluded, targeted messages were sent to members to transition them to the regular car sharing program. The number that stayed with it exceeded goals.
Lessons learned: Programs like this take a lot of resources and a commitment to communities that you are trying to target. Educational, economic and ethnic issues impact the messaging, the location, and how the program is promoted. Individuals who signed up did find it met their needs and in the future targeted outreach connected to transit will result in successful programs.