Who Gets to Ride? Transit Planning at the Intersection of Efficiency and Equity
Transit agencies face a fundamental conundrum: do you design service to maximize ridership, concentrating resources along busy corridors where demand already exists, or do you prioritize coverage, extending lifeline service to dispersed communities that may need it most? The tradeoffs are especially heightened in sparse urban areas and in regions experiencing the increased suburbanization of poverty. Planners navigate these tradeoffs every day through network design, demographic data, service standards, and community engagement.