September 28, 2001

Transportation Needs Assessment for Welfare Clients

A transportation needs assessment for welfare clients and other population groups: A
spatial analysis

Presentation By: Paul Metaxatos, Research Assistant Professor, UIC Urban Transportation Center
What: School of Public Health Epidemiology-Biostatistics division seminar series
When: 2-3pm, Friday, September 28, 2001
Where: 32 SPHPI (1603 W. Taylor, at Ashland)

Abstract:
The recent Welfare Reform Act requires several categories of public assistance recipients
to transition to the work force. In most metropolitan areas public assistance clients
reside great distances from areas of entry-level jobs. Any program designed to provide
access to these jobs, for those previously on public aid, needs relevant transportation
services when the job search process begins. Therefore it is essential that the latent
demand for commuting among public aid clients be assessed in developing public
transportation services. The location of entry-level jobs must also be known or estimated
using numerous data sources. This presentation reports on such a demand estimation effort,
focusing primarily on the use of spatial analysis methods.