JobLinks, Northwest Connecticut’s Access to Jobs program, is offering three new services to assist eligible workers who are not served by public transportation.

Gas Cards
In order to address the transportation needs of people entering the workforce but living in areas where there are no bus routes, JobLinks now offers free Gas Cards. Once the JobLinks Coordinator has certified an individual is eligible for the program, the client receives up to two cards (one per week) in denominations of $15 to help defray the expenses of getting to and from work by car.

Greater Waterbury Reservation Service
Individuals eligible for JobLinks services in the Greater Waterbury area are able to make reservations for a ride home from work Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7:00p.m. and 12:00midnight -- hours when local bus service is not available. To use this “First Come, First Served” service, an individual must complete a reservation form with the JobLinks Coordinator 24 hours in advance. The cost of this customized ride home is $1.50 per ride.

Childcare Reservation Service
When a parent with more than one child needs to get to a job or skills training location, transportation can be a problem. Commonly, the parent must wait for a school bus, get the other children to daycare, and only then take the bus to work. To alleviate such dilemmas, JobLinks now offers (to eligible parents and their children) individualized transportation to childcare providers. To arrange for this reservation service, the individual must meet with the JobLinks Coordinator at least 24 hours in advance to determine eligibility and to make transportation arrangements. The childcare transportation service is free but the parent is responsible for getting to the workplace.

Rideworks Review, Spring 2003 - Front Page