In the best of times, lack of transportation is a serious barrier to employment for low-income, single working mothers.
And now is not the best of times.
According to the congressional Joint Economic Committee, the current economic downturn threatens women’s employment more than ever, with women-headed families being particularly squeezed.
So whether an economic stimulus package focuses on creating jobs in infrastructure, public works or the “green economy,” it must include support for transportation–including for car ownership–for low-income workers to help them obtain and retain any new jobs created.
Consider:
- Low-income workers are less likely to own an automobile than other Americans. Nationally, 7.8 percent of all U.S. residents did not have access to a car in 2000, compared to 20.4 percent of poor U.S. residents.
- Many construction jobs are not accessible by public transportation, both because of hours (generally not the traditional 9-5 work day) and location.
- Research has shown that for low-income (and minority households), car ownership is positively correlated with improved access to jobs, higher household incomes and more weeks worked per year.
- Low-income single mothers are more likely to make sequential trips, such as to daycare and then to work, which are not easily supported on public transportation.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation released a documentary this year called Pursuit of the Dream: Cars & Jobs in America that looks at these issues in more depth.
Unfortunately, little public support is currently available for car ownership for low-income individuals, including women. What support is available can also be difficult for community-based organizations working with low-income, women-headed families to obtain.
Public programs, including the existing Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) program, must be expanded – both financially and in their scope – to meet the full range of transportation needs of low-income, women-headed families.
Private programs —such as Vehicles for Change and Opportunity Cars – must be expanded through government funding and increased car donations from private citizens.
It is time for all of us to stop overlooking this important barrier to work for low-income women with children.
Gwen Rubinstein is a program officer at The Women’s Foundation.
