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  "Transportation and Jobs: Overcoming Obstacles" --a successful collaborative effort in Ulster County, NY.

Metropool provides free services with the support of the Connecticut and New York State Departments of Transportation.

"Transportation and Jobs: Overcoming Obstacles"
--a successful collaborative effort in Ulster County, NY

Role-playing a manager with employee retention problems, Ulster County Department of Social Services Commissioner Glenn Decker drew a round of knowing laughter when he said he was tired of hearing that employees' cars wouldn't start on Monday mornings.

That was just one of the employment issues discussed at "Transportation and Jobs: Overcoming Obstacles", a symposium to provide information to Ulster County employers on ways to locate, hire and retain employees in today's tight labor market. Held on December 7 at the Hillside Manor Restaurant in Kingston, the event was sponsored by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), Ulster County Rural Transportation, Ulster County Department of Social Services and MetroPool, Inc.

Among the audience of nearly 200 were human resources managers and business owners and executives from Ulster County and surrounding areas, along with public agency administrators and representatives of transportation providers, schools and libraries

"Finding and keeping the best workers is a significant challenge facing Ulster County's employers," said Cynthia Ruiz, administrator for Ulster County Rural Transportation, who organized the conference with John Lyons and Carol Ryan of MetroPool. "We wanted to offer employers information about a range of public services that can help their employees overcome obstacles to job success."

The conference was the first in the area to bring together experts on transportation, childcare, health care, training and other supplemental services available to employers in Ulster County. Attendees left the event with management information as well as packages of information for distribution to current and prospective employees.

Ruiz presented an overview of the ways Ulster County Rural Transportation is making public transportation more flexible to meet the needs of potential workers, including the addition of evening and overnight routes intended to serve new shifts of workers, and cooperation with neighboring systems to help employees make it to their work sites.

"Transportation solutions headlined this conference because giving people access to jobs is the first step," said John Lyons, Director of Corporate Sales and Development for MetroPool, Inc. "Offering commuting choices can be a key component of an employer's strategy to recruit and retain the best employees."

Lyons presented options provided by MetroPool to assist employers in motivating their employees to use public transportation and other alternatives to driving alone. For example he cited Commuter Choice, which enables employers to pay a portion of their employees' transportation costs before payroll tax. MetroPool also organizes carpooling and vanpooling and tailors on-site commuting services for employees. Mr. Lyons emphasized MetroPool's availability and free services, supported by NYSDOT, to work with Ulster County employers.

Bob Kerr, Director of Human Resources for Imperial Schrade of Ellenville, a manufacturer of high-quality cutlery and sporting knives with 700 employees, won the drawing for MetroPool's Commuter Information Center, an on-site kiosk that provides employees with a wide range of commuting information. He said he came to the event looking for ways to hire from more remote areas. "We are in a growth mode and need to look at opportunities in other areas that we could access if we had transportation service," he said. He is looking forward to working with MetroPool and UCRT to "see how productive we can be."

Other speakers at the conference were leaders of several public agencies that provide assistance to both business people and their employees.

Lee Cane, director of temporary assistance for UCDSS, presented new programs providing one-stop access for public assistance including food stamps to health care, resulting from the coordination of services from the Departments of Labor and Social Services along with libraries, schools, continuing education providers and employers. More specific information was provided on food stamps by Helene Fishkin, Principal Welfare Examiner, on health care by Hermine Scheu, Director of Medicaid, on child care by Carroll Sisco of Child Care Council of Ulster County, and on training by Dominick Sfregola, Director of Ulster County Office of Employment and Training and Barbara Martin of NYS Department of Labor.

"This event was noteworthy not just because it was so well attended, but also because it was so comprehensive," said Marsha Gordon, President of MetroPool. "It brought together job developers and social service providers to learn more about transportation services that can help keep motivated workers, and at the same time transportation service organizations learned more about the needs of the community. All in all, it was an outstanding exchange which will ultimately result in better service for the employers and the commuters in Ulster County."

NYSDOT Commissioner Joseph H. Boardman cited the Ulster event and an associated transit marketing campaign as "excellent examples of transportation resources being targeted to economic development as well as enhanced personal mobility. We are very pleased to join with Ulster County and the private sector in linking people with jobs."

For further information on transportation services available to Ulster County employers, contact Carol Ryan of MetroPool at 845-838-6776 or email [email protected].