In the wake of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) emerges a body of literature that debates whether it has improved the employment opportunities of persons with disabilities. The most recent US Census Bureau data support continued disparity in the employment status of individuals with and without impairments. Not only is the population without disabilities three times more likely to be employed, but the earnings gap between workers with and without disabilities is pervasive, even among occupations in which workers with disabilities are well-represented  (Disability Employment Tabulation 2008-2010 (3-year ACS data)).

Struggles with employment barriers are well documented among those reporting disabilities. Similarly, the literature on transportation accessibility relates the difficulties faced accessing not only jobs, but also daily amenities including health care.  This is reflected in the commuting behavior of the employed with disabilities; commute distance and time are each affected by a combination of employability and utility maximization of work and leisure. Moreover, these external factors, along with personal characteristics such as gender, age, occupation, and work schedule contribute to differences in commute length and wages.  

Among those with a disability, parents reporting impairments are more often employed (Toms-Barker and Maralani, 1997).  Being a parent and needing access to childcare presents an additional work barrier. Extensive research exists on the effect of children on employment, and particularly the effect of the presence of a disabled child on parents’ labor force participation. However, the impact of the presence of children, regardless of a child’s disability status, on the labor force and commuting characteristics of working parents with disabilities has received little attention.  

In the paper, we address the question of how commute length and subsequent wages compare between working parents with and without disabilities. Using combined single-year American Community Survey data for 2008 – 2011 there is sufficient sample to examine working parents with disabilities, and geographic specificity to compare local dynamics of commuting and wages. First, we address the impact of impairments, other barriers and any interventions provided by employers on employment status. We compare the characteristics of working parents both with and without disabilities, by gender, and estimate a probit model predicting employment status. For those employed, regression models follow modeling both commute times and wages.

This analysis contributes to the literature on the role transportation access plays as a barrier to employment status for persons with disabilities. It also enhances knowledge of the impact of children on parent’s commuting behavior and wages for special populations. The foremost contribution made by this paper is the advancement in research on working parents with disabilities. The economic status of disabled parent families appears bleak; more often receiving public benefits compared to those of parents without disabilities. Transportation is essential to the lives of these families, and is often one of their greatest challenges. Identifying the tradeoffs made to balance affordable appropriate housing, and access to employment opportunities and childcare is essential to help these families adequately meet their needs.