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Federal Transit Administration: Progress Made in Implementing Changes to the Job Access Program, but Evaluation and Oversight Processes Need Improvement

GAO-07-43 Published: Nov 17, 2006. Publicly Released: Nov 17, 2006.
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Highlights

Begun in 1998, the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program provides grants to states and localities for improving the mobility of low-income persons seeking work. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) administers this program. In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) authorized $727 million for JARC for fiscal years 2005 through 2009, changed how these funds were to be awarded after fiscal year 2005, and required FTA to evaluate the program by August 2008. GAO examined (1) SAFETEA-LU's changes to JARC, (2) FTA's progress in implementing these changes, (3) states' and localities' efforts to respond and challenges they have encountered, and (4) FTA's proposed strategy for evaluation and oversight. GAO's work included analyzing program guidance as well as interviewing officials from FTA, industry groups, and more than 30 state and local agencies.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Transportation To establish adequate and consistent oversight processes that will enable FTA to evaluate and oversee JARC projects and determine whether they are meeting JARC program goals, the Secretary of Transportation should direct the Administrator, FTA, to develop a plan for including the JARC program in Triennial Reviews and State Management Reviews, and update monitoring guidance and information accordingly.
Closed – Implemented
In its 2008 budget request, submitted to Congress in February 2007, FTA asked Congress to provide a direct funding source for overseeing the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program. In the meantime, FTA inserted questions into its Triennial Reviews and State Management Reviews to at least touch upon the JARC program to the extent possible. These questions focus on a grantee's compliance with JARC coordination and planning requirements. For example, both reviews for fiscal year 2008 include questions about whether the competitive selection process was documented in the State or Program Management Plan and whether funds were distributed on a fair and equitable basis. FTA stated in its final JARC guidance (issued in May 2007) that it would review JARC programs as part of its Triennial Review. FTA said that it will also periodically review its monitoring guidelines and information and update them as required. In May 2008, FTA officials told us that they are evaluating JARC informally through states' questioning on the Triennial Review and State Management Plans. However, FTA noted that it still does not have the authority to use JARC funds to oversee and manage program evaluation.
Department of Transportation To establish adequate and consistent oversight processes that will enable FTA to evaluate and oversee JARC projects and determine whether they are meeting JARC program goals, the Secretary of Transportation should direct the Administrator, FTA, to specify in the JARC final guidance how frequently FTA will perform spot reviews of designated recipients that are not subject to FTA's Triennial Reviews and State Management Reviews, and make the interval for conducting spot reviews consistent with the 3-year cycles for Triennial Reviews and State Management Reviews, or more frequently if FTA determines it necessary.
Closed – Implemented
FTA's regulations (issued in March 2007) and circular (issued in May 2007) for the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program state FTA's intention to conduct oversight of JARC recipients who are not subject to Triennial Reviews or State Management Reviews. The regulations say that spot reviews will include an inspection of documentation on file at the regional office, a visit to the designated recipients' offices to examine the procedures used in administering the program, and local site visits. FTA's guidance does not specify how frequently FTA will perform spot reviews, as we recommended. However, as of August 2009, most of the designated recipients have been identified and all of them, according to an FTA official, are subject to a state management review, triennial review, or planning certification review; therefore FTA has not conducted spot reviews.

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Topics

Disadvantaged personsEmployment assistance programsFederal aid for transportationFederal aid to localitiesGrants to statesLocally administered programsProgram evaluationProgram managementPublic assistance programsReporting requirementsState-administered programsStrategic planningTransportationProgram goals or objectivesProgram implementation