THE TAXICAB AS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN BOSTON By

This thesis investigates the taxicab and its role as a form of public transportation, using Boston's taxicab system as an opportunity to study the mode's function in the city as well as its relationship to other forms of transportation. In many American cities, the taxicab is an important but frequently overlooked public transportation mode, and it represents a significant opportunity to provide mobility in many places where conventional mass transit cannot do so in a cost-effective manner. Strict regulations guide taxicab operations in most cities, but relatively few exist to directly improve taxicab service or to enhance urban mobility. As a result, economic forces exert a primary influence on taxicab operations that does not necessarily produce socially optimal results. The central inquiry of this thesis is when and where the taxicab operates as a complement or a substitute to Boston's mass transit system, and which factors appear to affect its fulfillment of each role. I hypothesize that Boston's taxicabs provide better service in locations where transit is also available than in areas with little or no transi