Everyone is Affected by Public Transportation - Joe Jones

[IMAGE '401' /]A Grand Rapids Urban League board member and deeply involved in community initiatives for many years, Joe Jones has seen the impact of both good and bad economies on the area’s residents. In either scenario, access to public transportation is the foundation for job creation and job opportunities. The underlying question, he says, is always the same – how are people going to get to the jobs?

“It speaks to the importance of The Rapid … it’s a major component of the economic engine.”

Jones pointed out that the transit system, The Rapid, serves the employer as well as the employee, that it serves the retailer and the local church, the library, our local government. Its impact is far-reaching yet often unseen and not fully appreciated.

“No matter where you are in life, either yourself or someone you know is affected by public transportation. If you’re the CEO of a major corporation, there’s no doubt that there are folks within your ranks who are bus riders. If you’re a nuclear family … with cars, there’s no doubt that you have relatives, fellow congregants, who are solely dependent on public transportation.”