MTI releases Defining and Measuring Equity in Public Transportation report

A new report from Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) aids the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the state’s transit agencies in assessing transit service equity. The report, “Defining and Measuring Equity in Public Transportation,” helps evaluate potential solutions for past, existing and future inequities.

The report was written by four authors:

• Dr. Christopher Ferrell, a MTI research associate.
• David Reinke, an MTI consulting associate and transportation engineer/economist with more than 40 years of experience in transportation planning, economics and engineering.
• John Eells, an MTI consulting associate and transportation planner with 44 years of experience preparing comprehensive transportation plans and developing sustainable transportation projects at the local and regional level.
• Matthew Schroeder, who earned his degree in environmental policy from Seattle University and is currently completing a Master of Urban Planning degree at San Jose State University.

Title VI is the federal policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in any program or activity that receives federal funds. By researching federal laws and regulations related to Title IV, metropolitan planning organization planning and policy documents and academic papers related to equity measurement, the research team evaluated extant information on current equity measurement. The study applies a series of possible metrics to a test case in Santa Cruz County, Calif., with Santa Cruz County Metropolitan Transit District and compares results to those generated by Title VI metric requirements.

Review of the literature and transit practices found Federal Transit Administration Title VI requirements have significant shortcomings for measuring transit equity. These are:

• They only look at race and income.
• They only address planned service change inequities and not existing inequities.
• They do not set standards for defining and measuring equity.

 “Current Title VI title requirements fall short in several regards in addressing the needs of transportation-disadvantaged persons. They only address how different race and income groups would be affected by proposed transit fare and service changes and do not address remedying existing inequities, nor do they consider other characteristics of transportation-disadvantaged populations,” explain the study’s authors. “There are several other measures that could reasonably be considered as indicators of transportation-disadvantaged populations. They include low vehicle ownership, households without internet access, single-parent households headed by females with children and persons who work at night where little or no transit service is running at that time.”

The extensive research and analyses found current standard practice metrics (race and income) likely miss critical aspects of equity. Agencies can employ new techniques and measurements that capture overlooked metrics, especially those that correlate to traditionally underserved populations who may not have access to the transit services they require. Identifying and diagnosing inequities in transit service provision are key. Traditional ways to seek public input, particularly public hearings, are typically least accessible to groups, including those with low incomes and other historically marginalized groups. Taking these seemingly small actions can make huge improvements in transportation equity for all.