References & Media
Want to see access to opportunity data in action? Here are some real-world applications of the Transportation Equity Dashboard. Note that some of these stories use data from Version 1.0 of the dashboard. As a result some direct links may be broken or specific data references and results may be outdated.
TransitCenter Publications
Transit Access Stories: The State of Transportation Equity in Seven Cities
Aug. 1, 2024
To create transit systems that work for everyone, transit agencies, and advocates must first understand how well people of varying identities can or can’t access what they need to thrive. These Transit Access Stories combine transportation access to opportunity data, quotes from riders, and other data sources to demonstrate how decisions from transportation leaders on service planning, policy, and funding impact how people can access their daily needs in seven US cities. Advocates can use this information to demand change from transportation decision-makers, and transit decision-makers can apply our data to implement solutions within their systems.
Checking in on Washington DC’s Transit Recovery
Feb. 16, 2023
As part of our exploration into what our Equity Dashboard reveals about transit access in the seven highest ridership U.S. cities, this blog post takes a deeper look at Washington D.C. In this analysis, we focus primarily on the District itself, rather than the full DMV metropolitan region, to illuminate the particularly glaring disparities in access to opportunity via transit within the core city.
What Does Our Equity Dashboard Reveal about Transit Access in Boston?
Jan. 23, 2023
We evaluate how well Boston residents could access essential destinations like healthcare, jobs, and grocery stores via public transit from February 2020 (right before the pandemic hit) through early August 2022.
Exploring 2022’s Big Transit Themes with New Equity Dashboard Data: Part Two
Dec. 21, 2022
Part two looks at at the “new normal” service patterns emerging at three agencies – New York’s MTA, Philadelphia’s SEPTA, and SFMTA – and explores whether these agencies are closing access gaps, or lapsing back into longstanding inequities.
Exploring 2022’s Big Transit Themes with New Equity Dashboard Data: Part One
Dec. 19, 2022
Part one of our 2022 summary, takes a look at how four agencies – Boston’s MBTA, DC’s WMATA, LA Metro, and Chicago’s CTA – responded to crises this year.
LA’s Bus Network Redesign Hamstrung by Operator Shortfall
May 3, 2022
We found that if LA Metro were able to fully implement the new NextGen bus network, transit riders across Los Angeles County would gain substantial access to essential destinations. Jobs, healthcare, and other places would become easier than ever to reach by public transit, even surpassing the pre-Covid-19 benchmark.
High Frequency Podcast: Measuring Transit Equity in Six Cities
Aug. 12, 2021
In June, TransitCenter released the Transit Equity Dashboard. The dashboard uses maps and graphs to show how transit access varies by race, class, and other demographic factors in 6 major urban regions. TransitCenter Senior Research Associate Mary Buchanan explains the importance of access to opportunity metrics, and how these metrics can be used to measure equity. Mary also shares major findings from the dashboard, and explains how this type of data can bolster advocacy efforts for more equitable service.
Going Above and Beyond: Advice to USDOT on Measuring Transportation Equity
Aug. 6, 2021
A look at how USDOT could better assess transport equity.
Introducing the Transit Equity Dashboard
June 17, 2021
This dashboard aims to help transit practitioners, policymakers, and advocates make more informed and equitable decisions by providing clear metrics about access disparities. By adopting these metrics, we can assess whether changes to transit networks close or widen these gaps.
The State of Transit Equity: Metro Chicago
June 1, 2021
A brief overview and fact sheet of the state of transit equity in Chicago
The State of Transit Equity: Metro Los Angeles
June 1, 2021
A brief overview and fact sheet of the state of transit equity in Los Angeles
The State of Transit Equity: Metro New York
June 1, 2021
A brief overview and fact sheet on the state of transit equity in New York
The State of Transit Equity: Metro Philadlephia
June 1, 2021
A brief overview and fact sheet on the state of transit equity in Philadlephia
The State of Transit Equity: Metro SF Bay Area
June 1, 2021
A brief overview and fact sheet on the state of transit equity in the San Francisco Bay Area
The State of Transit Equity: Metro Washington DC
June 1, 2021
A brief overview and fact sheet on the state of transit equity in Washington DC
In the Media
SEPTA bus overhaul will not exacerbate inequalities, new study says, despite critics' concerns
April 11, 2024 | Philadelphia Inquirer
MBTA's 'aggressive' year-long bus driver hiring campaign failed. Black and Hispanic riders are paying the price
Jan. 26, 2023 | Boston Globe
Pandemic Cuts to Public Transit Persist in Major U.S. Cities
June 17, 2021 | Bloomberg
REPORT: Here’s Where People of Color Can’t Access Opportunity Without A Car
June 17, 2021 | Streetsblog
Industry Reports
Tracking Progress: Deliver a Seamless Transit Network
May 23, 2024 | SEPTA
Victoria Transport Policy Institute: Evaluating Transportation Equity Guidance for Incorporating Distributional Impacts in Transport Planning
May 9, 2024 | Victoria Transport Policy Institute
Transit is the Answer to improving equity
Dec. 15, 2022 | Regional Transit Authority
Disrupting Structural Racism Increasing Transportation Equity in South Dallas
Dec. 1, 2022 | Urban Institute
Academic Publications
Transportation policy: a neglected social policy domain and aspect of social well-being in social policy/welfare regime research
Chase Harms | 2024 | PhD Thesis, University of Manitoba.
The Opportunity Cost: Using a Narrative Approach to Reframe Pro-equity Urban Informatics
Andrew Hamann and Roderick Crooks | 2023 | Companion Publication of the 2023 Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing.
Insights to Support Transportation Equity in Rural America: A Primer and Practical Compilation of Concepts, Resources, Tools, and Reforms
Andrea Hamre and David Kack | 2023 | Western Transportation Institute Report.
High Capacity Transit Through Merrimack Valley Corridor: Feasibility and Alternatives for Improved Transit Throughout the Region
Henry Mulvey | 2023 | Masters Project, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Accessibility measures in practice: A guide for transportation agencies
Alex Karner, Kaylyn Levine, Louis Alcorn, Minyu Situ, Dana Rowangould, Kyeonsu Kim, and Ayberk Kocatepe | 2022 | NCHRP Project 08-102.
Living on a fare: Modeling and quantifying the effects of fare budgets on transit access and equity
Diego Da Silva, Willem Klumpenhouwer, and Alex Karner | 2022 | Journal of Transport Geography.
Reallocating Washington, D.C.’s Road Space to Reduce Driving, Improve Safety, and Promote Transportation Equity
Andrew Grinberg | 2021 | Masters Project, Georgetown Univeristy.
A Comprehensive Transit Accessibility and Equity Dashboard
Willem Klumpenhouwer, Jeff Allen, Lisa Li, Rick Liu, Mitchell Robinson, Diego Da Silva, Steven Farber, Alex Karner, Dana Rowangould, Mary Buchanan, and Steven Higashide | 2021 | Findings.