Role of Gender in the Ridership of Public Transport Routes Involving Transfers

Globally, transport authorities are investing to improve the quality of public transport (PT) services by developing integrated networks. The success of these networks relies on multimodal transfers. However, making a transfer means more time will be spent outside the vehicle compared with a direct route, and for women, this means being exposed to the urban environment of stations for longer. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role gender plays in people’s decisions to make transfers, in order to develop integrated systems that are equitable. A survey was undertaken in three major cities in New Zealand. A total of 2,173 people, car drivers, and PT users participated. Results show that women drivers are 30% more likely than men to make a transfer, given time savings. Waiting time is the most influential factor and has a greater effect on women’s decisions to make transfers. The factor “perceived safety at stations” was only significant for female riders. With the presence of security guards, female car drivers were three times more likely to ride a route with transfer, compared with males who were two times more likely. Women, car drivers, and PT users were slightly more likely to make a transfer given good quality information and covered walkways. It is expected that these results will provide practitioners with some guidance when designing transfers for an integrated system. The limitations women face during their travels can be alleviated by implementing a PT system that is designed to meet their needs more closely