Uber and REFORM Alliance partnered to accelerate career opportunities for people on probation and parole in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Steady work helps people build stability, support their families and move beyond the criminal justice system. But without reliable transportation, getting to training or a job interview can be the hardest step.

Through REFORM’s Work Matters program, Uber-funded rides helped participants reach skilled-trades training, union interviews, and land full-time roles with family-sustaining wages and benefits.

For the majority of graduates, transportation assistance made completing the program possible.

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Alan: Building a future in the skilled trades

Alan Green was trying to find steady work while navigating his probation requirements. After job rejections tied to his criminal record, his probation supervisor connected him to a training opportunity through REFORM’s Work Matters in Pittsburgh.

When his mother, who had been paying for his rides, got sick, Alan lost reliable transportation to class. Uber-funded rides through Work Matters helped him keep showing up and working toward a career in the skilled trades.

“Every day I showed up, I felt like I was moving closer to a future I could be proud of.”

Jonathan: From training to a union apprenticeship

Jonathan Casey came home from juvenile custody at 19, learning to live independently while navigating adult probation. He had taken HVAC classes but still needed a clear path to a career. 

His probation officer connected him to REFORM’s Work Matters in Richmond. Pre-apprenticeship training gave him a way into the trades, and reliable Uber rides helped him get to class and focus on learning. 

“Now I’m in an apprenticeship, building a career and seeing what my future can look like.”