Agricultural Worker Transportation
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Case Study: Agricultural Worker Transportation
Agricultural Workers in California
Agriculture is the leading “competitive edge” industry in California, with 88,000 farms and ranches generating over $36 billion annually and $100 billion in related industries.1 California’s agricultural products supply food and wine to people locally, nationally and internationally. Exporting these products helps make California one of the largest economies in the world. Supporting California’s agricultural economy are nearly one million farm workers.2
Agricultural workers in California face a number of challenges, including transportation to, from and around their place of employment. Farm worker transportation problems were highlighted in 1999 after several fatal accidents occurred in the Central Valley. The most tragic of these accidents occurred when a van, transporting workers that were sitting on bare benches without seatbelts (instead of seats), collided with a semi-truck and killed 13 workers. From 1994 to 1999, 63 farm workers were killed while riding aboard farm labor transportation.
The Rural-Urban Connections Strategy (RUCS) is the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ (SACOG) new initiative—to explore existing conditions and emergent issues of the rural areas of the region, in an attempt to build consensus around corresponding opportunities and innovations. Agricultural worker safety is an important topic in this regional conversation. According to the Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Enumeration Profiles Study for California (2000), over 34,000 farm workers live in the Sacramento Region. The majority of those workers live in Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba Counties. The safety of these residents, and others in the region, are of particular concern. When one vehicle is unsafe on the road, all vehicles on the road are in jeopardy.
Agricultural Worker Transportation Issues
72% of agricultural workers surveyed3 in California do not have reliable transportation. The average farm worker makes around $11,500 a year, which makes buying and maintaining a vehicle a significant financial burden. Vehicles that farm workers do own are often in poor condition, as maintenance costs are often prohibitively expensive; the vehicle’s conditions can lead to breakdowns that result in workers either being late or missing a day of work. Second, well over half of all agricultural workers do not have legal documentation and are often unable to acquire driver’s education, a driver’s license and vehicle insurance. Third, many workers speak limited English and have difficulty receiving information about transit or other transportation options. Finally, many people are seasonal workers, meaning they migrate from area to area, depending on the season and crop need. Migrant workers face an even greater hurdle to car ownership and access to a reliable vehicle. These extensive barriers do not always prohibit workers from purchasing and driving vehicles, as a significant number of workers drive their own vehicle or carpool with other workers. Most of the remaining agricultural workers ride with “raiteros,” drivers that own or have access to a vehicle.
Most agricultural workers do not have safe or quality transportation to, from or at work. Raiteros are often accused of providing unsafe riding conditions (as they may not have a license, insurance or training), driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and charging workers $5.00 to $8.00 a day for a ride.4 Raiteros may also increase the unsafe driving and riding conditions through vehicle modification and/or overcrowding. The 1999 tragedy in Fresno may have been avoided if the riders were in seats and wearing seatbelts, instead of crammed onto benches. Overcrowding is a common and dangerous practice among riders. Shortly after the 1999 tragedy, a second incident occurred in Fresno when four passengers were sitting on the floor of a van (instead of in a seat) and the unlicensed driver drove through a stop sign and hit another vehicle, killing or injuring 13 people. Additionally, farm workers are subject to unsafe riding conditions while on the job. Workers often pile into truck beds as they are transported to different field areas or different crops.
While riding and/or driving, agricultural workers face significant safety issues for themselves and others on the roadways. To begin with, drivers that do not have training or insurance create serious financial and physical risk to themselves and other drivers. And the practice of having overcrowded and overloaded vehicles creates unsafe conditions for all vehicles on the roads. These factors establish a need for alternative transportation choices for farm workers.
Due to the nature of farm work, typical driving alternatives are not viable options. Farms and ranches are too far away and spread out for workers to walk or bike. Many workers live in rural and/or specialized housing, and it would be very difficult for transit to pick up workers at housing areas. Even if transit did go to certain housing areas, the workers’ destinations provide challenges: locations can vary by the day as seasons and crop needs change, fields are often far apart, and farms and ranches are spread throughout the vast rural areas. Additionally, as the needs of the farms change, so do the hours that agricultural workers work. It would be difficult for transit to provide service at all the needed hours during the week and on weekends. The lack of safe transportation for agricultural workers has led some agencies to provide alternatives.
Case Study: Agricultural Industries Transportation Services (AITS)
To address agricultural worker safety concerns in the Central Valley, Kings County Area Public Transit Agency established a pilot project called Agricultural Industries Transportation Services (AITS). The AITS program provides 15-passenger vans for agricultural workers to transport themselves to, from, and at work, as well as to use for personal use (grocery shopping, medical appointments, etc.). The program addresses many agricultural workers’ transportation concerns by providing safe, reliable and affordable vehicles. Drivers must have a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record and pass a physical examination. The vans are equipped with a Global Positioning System, several safety items (e.g. first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc.), and a $2 million insurance policy. Additionally, workers pay only $60.00 a month, a more affordable rate than the daily $5.00 to $8.00 fees ratieros and other drivers may charge.5 The vanpool drivers are not paid and are simply local farm workers that meet the driving requirements. Vanpool users interviewed had very favorable thoughts about this program.6
AITS began operating in Kings, Fresno and Tulare Counties in June 2002 with 40 vans. Initiated in 2001, the project received $8 million: $4 from Jobs Access/Reverse Commute (JARC) Federal Transit Administration, United States Department of Transportation and $4 from Public Transportation Account, California Department of Transportation. In 2003, the program expanded in Fresno County and currently has 134 vans. Kings County also purchased twelve 28-passenger buses that local residents operate between the communities and nearby agricultural employment centers.These vehicles are currently providing over 1500 agricultural workers with safe, reliable and affordable transportation.
The program faced several obstacles in implementation, many of which continue today. Issues include: navigating governmental regulations, accessing insurance for drivers and vehicles, and overseeing program requirements. Other barriers include gaining acceptance from employers, employees and transit directors; Central Valley growers, organized labor, and Farm Labor Contractors (FLC) have been hesitant about promoting and allowing workers to use AITS. These barriers have affected implementation and expansion of the AITS program. Kings County Area Public Transit Agency is continually working through these issues, which will help future programs throughout the state and country. More information on the AITS program is available in the Agricultural Worker Transportation Needs Assessment Final Report (2003) or at www.kartaits.org.
Opportunities and Innovations
The Transit Coordinating Committee (TCC), an advisory group for SACOG, is interested in implementing a vanpool program for agricultural workers in Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba Counties. SACOG recently received a $70,000 planning grant to develop a cost effective and self-sustaining program. The planning study will include extensive community outreach to identify the transportation needs and trip patterns of agricultural workers. The grant will be used to provide funding for a contract with a consulting team that will work closely with a stakeholder board to make sure the plan meets the needs of the agricultural community.
The principal product will be a business plan that establishes a self-sustaining program. The program should require a limited amount of administration and overhead so the funding from fares and services will go toward providing transportation. The TCC will be involved in the study development process and will have to approve the project before it goes to the SACOG Board for further approval.
To implement the agricultural workers transportation service program, SACOG recently applied for a $2.8 million grant. If this grant receives funding, SACOG will be able to purchase twenty-five 15-passenger vans and operate the vanpool services. This program should be self-supporting, with a 100% farebox recovery ratio. An oversight committee made up of representatives of key participants and supporting agencies (identified in the study) will be created to manage implementation of the program. Similar to the AITS program, this program will provide:
- modified vans that can transport farm tools and water, with easily maintained interiors and exteriors
- guidelines for driver screening and driver requirements
- safe and well-maintained vehicles (equipped with GPS and Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL) systems, two-way radios and emergency kits)
- marketing and outreach for the project
- administrative support to coordinate and facilitate the project on an ongoing basis
SACOG hopes the program will be in operation by 2010 and fully self-supporting by 2012.
Next Steps
After the 1999 farm worker tragedy, the California State Legislature approved two bills to help regulate farm worker safety, mostly related to seatbelt requirements and enforcement.7 In 2006, Senate Bill 1135 established an Agricultural Worker Transportation Program, which allocated funding to public agencies for related transportation services and capital expenditures. These bills are only one aspect of addressing farm worker transportation safety issues.
As part of the RUCS project, SACOG would like to explore these issues in greater detail by answering the following questions:
- What are other transportation-related safety concerns for farm workers?
- What additional agricultural worker transportation needs should be addressed?
- What lessons can be learned from the AITS experience?
- How can we have a successful program in the Sacramento region?
SACOG plans to continue working with regional partners to identify new innovations and pursue new funding opportunities.
