Interurban accessibility of job opportunities in Uruguay’s secondary cities

Abstract

ABSTRACT The ability to overcome geographical distance is necessary to participate in social inclusion activities, such as employment. This paper seeks to describe the accessibility of job opportunities outside Uruguay’s capital city metropolitan area. This analysis entails empirically assessing intercity accessibility because workers in small cities frequently have to commute outside their cities of residence. This research reveals different regional accessibility profiles and allows us to identify vulnerable regions based on lack of accessibility to job opportunities. For the most vulnerable regions, travel by public transport would afford access to a number of job opportunities that, after considering the number of job seekers, would provide a level of employment well below the national rate. The findings suggest that policies to improve accessibility should not be homogeneous and must consider regional disparities.