• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Some struggle to find transportation

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Jackilyn Clinton pushes a cart of supplies for her volunteer work in Beloit onto a bus near the United Way building in Downtown Janesville.

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Jackilyn Clinton waits for the bus to arrive with a cart of supplies she takes to Beloit where she does volunteer work.

Jackie Clinton was having trouble getting where she needed to go in Monroe.

So in July, the 65-year-old picked up and moved to Janesville because of its public transportation system, she said.

Clinton, who is disabled and can’t afford a car, finds the Janesville Transit System meets most of her needs, she said. She uses it to shop, visit the doctor, go to physical therapy and travel to Beloit for volunteer work.

“I have a lot of things I want to do, and if I have to take the bus, I just will,” she said.

The transit system is one of several options Rock County offers to people who struggle to access transportation. But those options aren’t always enough to meet everyone’s needs, especially when funds run low, representatives from local community groups said.

“Transportation is definitely a barrier for families to have economic self-sufficiency,” said Janine Peterson, vice president of United Way of North Rock County.

In 2007, 298 people contacted United Way’s First Call looking for transportation help, usually gas vouchers, bus tokens, car maintenance or aid for stranded travelers, according to First Call’s year-end report. The agency couldn’t find help for more than half of them.

Sarah Williams, executive director of Edgerton Community Outreach, said the agency has seen the need for transportation assistance increase as the price of gas has gone up.

“When (gas prices) were up to $4 a gallon, people were really, really struggling,” she said.

The organization offers gas vouchers through Salvation Army when it can, but its budget for vouchers usually runs out about five months into the year, Williams said.

Similarly, Janesville’s ECHO offers gas vouchers and bus tokens when it has the funds, but it’s not offering them right now, said Tonya Frerichs, client advocate.

“The most logical (solution) is the gas vouchers to help people get back and forth to work, but the problem is it’s so expensive,” Williams said.

Rural residents have it especially hard because there’s no bus outside of Janesville and Beloit, Williams said. Many Edgerton residents look outside the city for jobs, and those who don’t have cars are left with few options.

“They make friends real fast at work,” Williams said.

Even the bus can’t meet all the needs in Janesville and Beloit, said Marc Perry, director of planning and development for Community Action of Rock and Walworth Counties. Some can’t afford the $1.25 one-way ticket, especially if they have children to pay for. The transit system doesn’t offer a discount for children 5 and older, though it does offer discounts to senior citizens and disabled people.

And the bus doesn’t always run. Low-wage workers often work in industries such as hospitality, retail and food service that require night and weekend hours. The buses stop running at 10:15 p.m. on weeknights and 6:15 p.m. Saturdays. They don’t run at all on Sundays or major holidays.

“It does take a significant amount of planning if you’re relying solely on public transportation,” Perry said.

The city made an effort to accommodate its riders in 2000 when it expanded its service from 6:15 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. weeknights, said Dave Mumma, transit director.

But it’s not economically feasible to expand service even more, he said. In fact, the city is considering increasing bus fares or cutting service in 2009 because of fuel costs and decreased state aid.

The problem only looks to get worse in the current economy. Peterson, of United Way, said local organizations should discuss the problem and identify service gaps.

“Quite frankly, I think one of the solutions is for service providers to get together to have a real focused dialogue and try to find some creative ways to find some dollars for gas vouchers and car repair and bus tokens,” she said.

“It’s not just a solution that one organization (can solve), and it’s not just something the city can solve. It certainly has to come from different angles.”

Bus system struggles along with riders

Dave Mumma, Janesville transit director, knows his customers are struggling. About 65 percent of regular Janesville bus riders live in households earning $20,000 a year or less.

But the Janesville Transit System is struggling, too, he said. The increased cost of fuel combined with decreased state transportation aid are forcing the city to look at its options.

The system has requested a fare increase in 2009, its second in three years.

Mumma is requesting an increase from $1.25 to $1.50 for a one-way trip effective July 1, 2009. In 2007, the system raised the rate from $1 to $1.25.

The increase resulted in a 9 percent ridership drop that year, though it’s now climbing back, Mumma said.

“Every time you raise fares and your people are on the economic margin, it’s going to be a hardship,” Mumma said. “We are very aware of that.”

But the city has few options, he said. The federal and state government subsidize buses 55 to 60 percent, and the city subsidizes them even further. But the city faces levy limits and a tight budget.

The system could cut service, but that might not serve its riders either, Mumma said. In a recent survey, 30 percent of riders said they’d rather pay “significantly” more than see service cut, compared to 20 percent who favored cutting the system’s least productive route, he said.

As the country’s economy continues to struggle, Mumma sees the need for public transit increasing. In fact, Janesville, Whitewater and Milton have applied for a grant to look into extending transit service between the three cities.

But it still comes down to cost, Mumma said.

“If we do the study and it says, ‘Yes the demand is there, the need is there,’ the big question is how are we going to pay for it?” he said. “I don’t have an answer for that.”

Program puts workers in wheels

As credit tightens around the country, a local organization is trying to help low-wage workers buy vehicles.

The Work-In-Wheels program through Community Action of Rock and Walworth Counties offers no-interest loans of up to $4,000 to people who live at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

Recipients must be employed, have a valid driver’s license and be able to make payments on the loan and car insurance, said Tricia Crawford, program coordinator.

The program runs background checks but not credit checks on potential clients, helping those who might have bad credit, Crawford said. Clients attend classes about budgeting, auto safety and auto maintenance.

The program started last year and serves 20 to 25 people a year in Rock and Walworth counties. It has a waiting list of 11 people, with more applicants pending approval, Crawford said.

Having a vehicle empowers low-income people, especially families, said Marc Perry, Community Action director of planning and development.

“It’s a level of freedom,” he said. “It means I can go to these appointments. It means if I have an emergency with my child, I can take care of it immediately.”

TO LEARN MORE

If you’re looking for transportation help, call United Way of North Rock County’s First Call, (608) 752-3100.

For more information about Work-In-Wheels, a Community Action program offering no-interest car loans to low-wage workers, call Tricia Crawford at (608) 365-8230.