Transportation: A barrier to successful employment outcomes among rural VR clients

In testimony to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Billy Altom, Executive Director of the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) stated, the lack of available, affordable, and accessible transportation is one of the most significant and persistent problems faced by people with disabilities...This is especially true in rural America. Lack of transportation translates into barriers in employment, health care access, and community participation among rural people with disabilities (Iezzoni, Killeen, & O\u27Day, 2006; Crudden, Sansing, & Butler, 2005). Recently, this was confirmed by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency research participants, representing 48 VR agencies in 37 states, who said transportation was a significant barrier to successful employment outcomes among rural clients