The Role of Public Transit in the Mobility of Low Income Households

University Transportation Centers Program2001PDFTech ReportGiuliano, GenevieveHu, Hsi-HwaLee, KyoungUniversity of Southern California. School of Policy, Planning, and DevelopmentMETRANS Transportation Center (Calif.)California. Departmen. of TransportationUnited States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) ProgramMETRANS Transportation Center (Calif.)United StatesAccessibilityData analysisEquity (Justice)HouseholdsLiterature reviewsLow income groupsMarket researchMobilityPolicyPublic transitTravel patternsPublic transportationStatistical dataTransit industriesREPT-99-11-2000-3FHWA/CA/OR-2001/1365A0047In this report, the authors examine the use of public transit by low income households. The 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey is used to analyze both stated behavior regarding usual travel and actual journey to work mode to understand the role of public transit in the mobility of low income households. Barriers to transit are identified, such as lack of access and inconsistent availability. The authors conclude that in order to retain existing markets, transit policy should focus on: 1) improving service frequency and quality in high demand markets, 2) exploring more effective ways of providing transit in low demand markets, and, 3) expanding transit to serve off-peak and off-direction commutes. The authors also note that in order to improve mobility, private vehicle should be more readily available, and economic development policies should be developed to increase the supply of jobs, goods and services in low income neighborhoods.140