USA people with kidney disease to live longer lives ; however , resources for public transit services are waning . Recognizing that specialized transportation services are a critical piece of the health care puzzle , the State of Maryland , in collaboration with TAM and other stakeholders , sponsored a study in 2013 to evaluate the growing need and diminishing funding for specialized transportation services . The Ongoing Funding Challenge As a public service industry , community transportation relies on tax dollars and grant funding to keep its wheels in motion . While this has always meant resources are constrained , the economic downturn over the past five years has hit our industry hard , with many providers struggling to meet basic community needs for transportation access to jobs , job training , medical care , and other critical services . As the economy has dipped , so have tax revenues and consequently public funding sources .
The Challenges of Maintaining a Public Transportation Workforce
Driver hiring and retention is another ongoing trial for the industry . Driver positions can be difficult at times ; drivers deal with traffic , time pressures , and violent and unpleasant passengers on a daily basis . These issues , coupled with funding challenges , lead to relatively low wages and benefits . This makes it difficult to hire and retain skilled public transit drivers when competing with higher paying jobs in transportation . The lack of retention also impacts succession planning . As today ’ s leaders approach retirement age , preparing to hand over the reins to the next generation involves developing tomorrow ’ s leaders . To address this issue , TAM is looking at ways to connect younger professionals with veteran leaders .
LEGISLATIVE IMPACTS Dialysis Transportation Study In answer to the growing need for specialized transportation mentioned earlier , in 2013 TAM , working in conjunction with a major dialysis treatment provider , successfully initiated a study
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