Enhancing Equity and Access: Examining Gender Equity and Safety Perceptions For Females As Passengers and Drivers in Providing TNC/Taxi Rides, Pooled Rides, and Public Transit Linkages

Transportation network companies (TNCs) and microtransit services are changing the way people travel by providing dynamic, on-demand mobility that can supplement public transit and personal-vehicle use. Shared-ride services may offer congestion relief, particularly when linked to public transit and other shared modes, as well as when they are shared or pooled with other passengers. Emerging research indicates that TNCs have the potential to expand access and mobility. However, emerging research suggests that the use and adoption of TNCs may vary by gender. More research is needed to understand the impacts of gender on the willingness of women to drive for and use TNCs/taxis. Well-designed policy strategies may be needed to address gender-related concerns, such as safety in waiting for a pick-up, accuracy of pick-up and drop-off locations, and en-route safety while alone with drivers and passengers that a traveler may not know during pooled trips. In some cases, women may shift to TNCs/taxis from other modes (e.g., public transportation) if they feel unsafe waiting for the next bus or train or vice versa. As such, understanding safety-related concerns and their impacts on TNC/taxi travel behavior is complex and may vary depending on the context. Additionally, strategies may be needed to improve the perceived and actual safety of female drivers. More research is needed to better understand these concerns and to identify potential strategies that make TNCs/taxis more equitable across gender lines. This project proposes to employ a combination of methods based on grounded theory and narrative/discourse analysis in the U.S. Through qualitative and quantitative research, this study will collect data on women traveler and women driver views, values, and perceptions around TNC/taxi safety. The intent of the qualitative engagements is not to rank priorities per se but to seek a deeper understanding of issues as participants understand them and build critical group understanding. These engagements will be analyzed using thematic content analysis tools, such as ATLAS.ti to help systemically analyze complex phenomena hidden in unstructured data. The study will also deploy a TNC/taxi driver and user survey focused on women in the U.S. This study will inform how TNC/taxi travel behavior varies by gender, factors that contribute to heavy and light TNC/taxi use, and potential strategies that help overcome gender-specific concerns such safety in both drivers and travelers.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Active
  • Funding: $120000
  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

    University Transportation Centers Program
    Department of Transportation
    Washington, DC  United States  20590

    National Institute for Congestion Reduction

    University of South Florida
    Tampa, FL  United States  33620
  • Managing Organizations:

    National Institute for Congestion Reduction

    University of South Florida
    Tampa, FL  United States  33620
  • Project Managers:

    Zhang, Yu

  • Performing Organizations:

    University of California Berkeley

    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
    416C McLaughlin Hall
    Berkeley, California  United States  94720
  • Principal Investigators:

    Shaheen, Susan

  • Start Date: 20220404
  • Expected Completion Date: 20230630
  • Actual Completion Date: 0
  • USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01853957
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: National Institute for Congestion Reduction
  • Files: UTC, RIP
  • Created Date: Aug 7 2022 3:27PM