Jobs Without Cars

Summary: Jobhunting resources that help people find jobs that don't require cars.

For many people, the decision whether to adopt a car-based lifestyle hinges on the belief that having a car is necessary for employment. For many jobs this is true, but for many others it is not. A significant impact could be made by empowering more people to make a living without owning a car, thereby freeing them to not own cars if they choose.

Approaching the problem of making a living primarily as a transportation problem would yield these benefits to the community:

1) Job hunters that do not already own cars would be less tempted to buy them to access job opportunities

2) Job hunters that cannot afford cars would not waste time and resources browsing ads for jobs they cannot take

3) Job hunters would not waste time and resources replying to or applying for jobs that require them to adopt a car-based lifestyle.

3) Applying to jobs closer to home would be easier, so time spent unemployed would be reduced.

4) Upon finding a job that is accessible without a car, time and fuel would not be wasted commuting to far away jobs.

5) Working jobs without needing a vehicle, people would be able to save money faster and achieve a stable economic status sooner after unemployment.

6) Less car commuting would create less traffic, more enjoyable neighborhoods, and safer roads for walking and cycling.

Don't worry, Aviva: although the success of this idea would mean fewer automobiles to insure, it would also mean fewer claims to pay, as fewer cars on the road would mean fewer collisions. Also, with more people earning a living without the expense of a car, more people would be able to save up for down payments on homes, and Aviva could offer them home insurance.

Implementation:

All the technology exists to implement this immediately. It would be Web-based, using search technology like Google, ad posting and response like Craig's List, and geographic match-making like Jack Bell Ride Share and Translink.

(The simplest way to implement it would be to ask Craig's List to create two main categories: Car-Jobs and Non-Car Jobs.)

Ultimately, a Web site could be created that would:

• Prompt the job hunter for their postal code, and perhaps other details like bus routes that they already use frequently.

• Generate a map with their home at the centre, and ring-shaped zones around the centre, extending outward.

• List jobs according to the zone they are in, rather than the specific location, to protect the privacy of employers.

• Allow geography-based job searches to be further sorted by public transit route, and by occupation.

• Allow job hunters to bookmark or otherwise collect job postings they plan to apply to.

• Provide the opportunity for job hunters and employers to input feedback on the success or failure of the Web site and its resources.

• Gather statistics to assess the connection between car-ownership and employment, and help improve the available resources

Cost:

The web site could be built for around $25,000, and would require maintenance on an ongoing basis, probably to the tune of $3500 per year.

Conclusion:

Job hunters would be in no way required to take jobs that do not require cars, or restricted to not using a car to get to any job on the site. This is about empowerment through access to information, not confinement through regulation. Because most adults have to work, and everyone has transportation issues to contend with, this issue is a target area that could have a significant impact, even if it initially affects only a small percentage of workers/commuters.

The long-term cumulative effects could be greater, as more people don't rely on cars for their jobs, choose non-car-based lifestyles, and become supporters of walkable communities, better public transit, land stewardship, and other positive initiatives that are often challenged by the demand for more and larger roads.