This report provides information about the role of transportation in supporting welfare-to-work initiatives and identifies practical strategies to improve access to job opportunities for former welfare recipients making the transition to work. The Guidebook describes service approaches that include modifications to existing mass transit services, coordination between transportation services, ridesharing programs, automobile ownership programs, and collaborations between faith-based and community-based groups.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 dramatically altered the nation's system for providing assistance to the poor. Among the many changes, the act replaced the existing entitlement program for poor families (Aid to Families With Dependent Children) with fixed block grants to the states to provide Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). TANF imposes work requirements on adults and establishes time limits on the receipt of federal assistance. However, for welfare recipients trying to move from welfare to work, a lack of transportation to the places of employment can pose significant barriers. Existing public transportation systems cannot always transport low-income people from their homes to the entry-level jobs they would likely fill. Many of these jobs are located in suburbs beyond the reach of public transportation, or they require shift work in the evenings or on weekends when public transportation is unavailable or limited.

"TRB's Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 101: Toolkit for Rural Community Coordinated Transportation Services examines strategies and practices used to coordinate rural transportation services, and identifies model processes used for local coordination efforts in rural communities. A stand-alone executive summary of the report provides information, instructions, and lessons learned from rural communities that have implemented coordinated transportation services"--Publisher's description.

TCRP Report 94: Fare Policies, Structures and Technologies: Update identifies, describes, and evaluates key fare structures, policies, and technologies that are being considered by transit agencies, with a focus on their impact on customers, operations management, and effective and equitable fare integration. The report includes data on fare structures, policy-making procedures, and ongoing efforts to implement fare technology. This report provides guidance on making decisions related to fare policies, structures, and technologies. It includes practical information that can be readily used by transit professionals and policy makers in fare-related planning and decision making. This report updates information presented in TCRP Reports 10 and 32 and presents the latest developments and research results related to fare policy and technology issues.