Moving Transportation Equity Beyond Title VI: Multimodal Equity Comparison Metrics Development

This project is intended to provide an analysis of equity in the provision of multimodal transportation services in California. A previous study by Mineta Transportation Institute looked at equity regarding transit services. This project will assess transportation equity from a multimodal viewpoint, looking at equity not only from the perspective of provision of transportation services, but also from the perspective of allocation of resources for transportation planning and data collection. USDOT Priorities: Alignment with RPA: Improving Mobility of People and Goods – Transit serves a critical mobility function for transit-dependent and choice (commuter) riders alike. However, transit often suffers in comparison to automobile travel in terms of financing, users, and resources. By identifying how transit compares to automobile travel in terms of equity, as well as how auto investments can have detrimental effects on transit performance and disadvantaged communities, this research will provide important information to transit operators, advocates, and multimodal transportation planners and policymakers to improve mobility overall. Alignment with U.S. DOT Strategic Plan Goals – This research would serve the goals of (1) economic Strength and Global Competitiveness by helping ensure the survival of the nation’s transit services for transit-dependent populations; (2) equity by helping to re-focus transportation planning efforts to better serve transit-dependent populations; (3) climate and Sustainability by helping create a more effective and sustainable low-carbon transit system; and (4) transformation by helping transit agencies re-design our transportation systems for the future that does a better job of allocating limited resources to the benefit of transit-dependent communities.