Exploring bicycle and public transit use by low-income Latino immigrants : a mixed-methods study in the San Francisco Bay Area.

PDFTech ReportMTI Project 1202Public transitBicyclingTransportation disadvantaged personsTransit ridersHispanicsTravel surveysSan Francisco Bay AreaMineta Transportation InstituteBarajas, Jesus M.Chatman, Daniel G.Agrawal, Asha WeinsteinMineta Transportation InstituteUS Transportation CollectionThere are approximately 40million immigrants living inthe US, making up about 13%of the population. The U.S.Census Bureau predicts thatboth numbers will rise in coming decades, with a large fraction coming from Latin America.Many immigrants will arrive in the U.S. with few resources, relying on public transit, bicycling,and walking to travel. It is critical for transportation planners and policy makers to understandthe unique needs and constraints that immigrants face, in order to provide appropriatetransportation services.This study relied on interviews with low-income, primarily Latino immigrants and a surveyof San Francisco Bay Area residents to better understand how low-income immigrants\ue2\u20ac\u2122travel behavior differs from other immigrants and people born in the U.S. Specifically, theinvestigators asked:\ue2\u20ac\ua2 How frequently do low-income immigrants drive, take public transit, walk, and bicycle, andhow does this compare to other groups?\ue2\u20ac\ua2 What preferences do low-income immigrants hold, and what barriers and constraints dothey face, in bicycling, taking transit, and accessing transit via bicycle