Public Transit Reaches Almost All Low-Income Neighborhoods, But Only One-Third Of Jobs In Baltimore Metro Area

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Last week on The Lines Between Us, we looked at how unemployment affects not just individuals, but communities. The week before, we looked at the path to employment: how to match the unemployed to the jobs that are available. This week, we’re also looking at the path to employment, but we’re taking the phrase more literally: how do we get people to the jobs and job training that are available.

There are many places, and many job opportunities, in the Baltimore metro area that you can’t  reach by public transit. So, does mass transit erase the lines between people who can afford cars and people who can’t? And, how can we connect where the jobs are with where people live?

Adie Tomer, a Senior Research Associate at the Brookings Institution, joins us to talk about a report on how public transit and job opportunities match up in the 100 largest metro areas of the United States. And, we ask Michael Walk, Acting Director of Service Development for the Maryland Transit Administration, how the MTA connects low-income neighborhoods with jobs across the region.

You can find our map of where the jobs are in the Baltimore metro area here.

Is the MTA doing everything it can to provide good transit service? We’d like to know what you think. Leave us a voicemail at (410) 881-3162. Include your name, where you're from, and a call-back number. We might use your response on the air. You can also send us an e-mail at mdmorning@wypr.org.

The Lines Between Us is made possible by grants from Associated Black Charities, Cohen Opportunity Fund, Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, Baltimore Community Foundation, and Open Society Institute-Baltimore, as well as support from members of the WYPR Board of Directors.

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Web Extra: How often does the MTA adjust its bus routes?

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Web Extra: Can we reduce the number of bus transfers needed for each trip?

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Web Extra: Does transit respond to where the jobs are or vice versa?