Lack of access to affordable and reliable transportation can be one of the biggest hurdles to finding and keeping a job. Rio Metro’s Job Access Transportation Program was developed to help low-income individuals overcome transportation obstacles by providing transportation to work and employment training.

“We provide reliable curb-to-curb transportation to low-income residents of Bernalillo County,” says Jocelyn Martinez, Program Support Coordinator II, for the Rio Metro Regional Transit District. “Individuals can use it to access employment, job training, and daycare if needed.”

As a metropolitan area grows, changes, and ages, so does transportation in the region. Transportation, in turn, affects the economy, the environment, safety, and more. That’s where Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) come in to play. Federal law requires that urbanized areas with populations of 50,000 or more have an MPO to carry out metropolitan transportation and programs. The Mid-Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, or MRMPO, is the MPO for the Albuquerque Metropolitan Planning Area.

Happy Holidays Everyone! 

As we embrace the season of giving and head toward turning the page on what has undoubtedly been an interesting year to say the least, I am reminded that despite the hardships we have faced during much of this year, there is much for which to be grateful.

Though the global public health crisis has forced commuter rail service to be suspended, and much of our bus service curtailed the past several months, our Rio Metro family has grown stronger and more united through it all. While the pandemic put the brakes on train service in March, it did not stop the critical work of installing a major safety enhancement on our rail system. We are also making a strong commitment to enhanced cleaning of buses and railcars that meet or exceed the guidelines for safe transit operations.