Low Income, Public Transit, and Mobility

A fundamental justification for transit subsidies in the United States is to provide a basic level of mobility to all persons, especially the transportation disadvantaged: those who are either unwilling or unable to drive or who do not have access to a car. Yet even among the disadvantaged, most travel is by private vehicle. This paper examines the role of transit in the daily travel patterns of low-income households. Public transit is used for only a small portion of travel, and those who use transit regularly have the lowest level of mobility among all population segments. Attitudinal data indicate dissatisfaction with public transit, suggesting that current trends are likely to continue. Retaining existing markets by improving service frequency and quality in high-demand markets, exploring more effective ways of providing transit in low-demand markets, and expanding transit to serve off-peak and off-direction commutes would make transit a more attractive option for everyone.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.3141/1927-08
• 
• Summary URL:
  • http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Low+Income%2c+Public+Transit%2c+and+Mobility&author=G.+Giuliano&publication_year=2005
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309094011
• Authors:
  • Giuliano, Genevieve
• Publication Date: 2005

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 63-70
• Monograph Title: Transit: Planning, Management and Maintenance, Technology, Marketing and Fare Policy, and Capacity and Quality of Service
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
  • Issue Number: 1927
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Customer satisfaction; Low income groups; Mobility; Off peak periods; Public transit; Quality of service; Reverse commuting; Transportation disadvantaged persons; Travel patterns
• Uncontrolled Terms: Service frequency
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01019974
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309094011
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 13 2006 3:11PM