Buying Access One Trip at a Time

Anne Brown, Nicholas J. Klein, Michael J. Smart and Amanda Howell

Journal of the American Planning Association, 2022, vol. 88, issue 4, 495-507

Abstract: Problem, research strategy, and findingsNew transportation options like ride-hail can expand accessibility without the costs of car ownership. Ride-hail’s potential is particularly salient for lower-income and zero-car households. We used interviews and a national (U.S.) survey to examine how and why lower-income travelers in the United States use ride-hail. Survey and interview responses provided a temporal snapshot and thus reflect, in part, travel challenges specific to COVID-19. Findings suggest that lower-income travelers, particularly those without personal cars, use ride-hail in ways distinct from those typically reported in broader travel surveys. Individuals without cars are more likely to use ride-hail, and use it more often, compared with people with cars, particularly to fill spatial and temporal gaps in public transit service and to access medical care and groceries. Costs and price unpredictability remain significant barriers limiting travelers’ use of ride-hail services.Takeaway for practiceThis research demonstrates a latent need for car access among lower-income travelers. Substantial gaps in alternative modes pose challenges for travelers seeking reliable and timely transportation. Planners should invest in transit, biking, and walking to provide robust alternatives to car ownership. Such investments, however, take time. In the meantime, cities and agencies should consider subsidizing ride-hail trips to bridge existing gaps in the transportation network.

Date: 2022
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/01944363.2022.2027262 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:rjpaxx:v:88:y:2022:i:4:p:495-507

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/rjpa20

DOI: 10.1080/01944363.2022.2027262

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of the American Planning Association is currently edited by Sandi Rosenbloom

More articles in Journal of the American Planning Association from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().