Journey-Based Transit Equity Analysis: A Case Study in the Greater Boston Area

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel journey-based method for assessing transit equity, combining ridership surveys and origin-destination data to analyze service convenience disparities among income groups in Boston.

Contribution

It presents a new granular approach to transit equity analysis using census blocks and real data, highlighting disparities between income groups.

Findings

Low-income riders face longer transfer wait times.

High-income riders experience fewer transfers per distance.

Significant service convenience disparities exist between income groups.

Abstract

In this paper, a new methodology, journey-based equity analysis, is presented for measuring the equity of transit convenience between income groups. Two data sources are combined in the proposed transit equity analysis: on-board ridership surveys and passenger origin-destination data. The spatial unit of our proposed transit equity analysis is census blocks, which are relatively stable over time and allows an exploration of the data that is granular enough to make conclusions about the service convenience various communities are facing. A case study in the Greater Boston area using real data from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus network demonstrates a significant difference in transit service convenience, measured by number of transfers per unit distance, transfer wait time and travel time per unit distance, between low-income riders and high income riders. Implications of analysis results to transit agencies are also discussed.