Exclusion and vulnerability on public transit: experiences of transit dependent riders in Portland, Oregon

Abstract

In urban areas, the inequitable distribution of transit systems and services has been shown to reproduce safety and environmental risks – potentially exacerbating preexisting inequities. Thus, how vulnerable populations access and utilize public transportation is of critical concern to urban scholars. This paper utilizes focus group data to explore how transit-dependent (particularly low-income) riders engage with the public transit system in Portland, Oregon. We illustrate specific ways in which transit-dependent riders experience marginalization and exclusion. We find that certain groups, particularly mothers with young children and those with disabilities are not well served by a public infrastructure oriented toward an ‘ideal rider’ who is an economically stable, able-bodied, white, male commuter. We conclude that a public infrastructure meant to serve all riders equitably, yet which fails to consider the unique experiences of marginalized transit users risks further amplifying existing social vulnerabilities and reinforcing gender, racial, and class inequalities.

Keywords:

• Public transit
• transit-dependent
• mobility barriers
• inequality
• public policy

Acknowledgment

The authors also wish to thank Lisa Bates, Jennifer Dill, Jake Warr, Nathan Rochester, and Cristina Restad for their contributions to this research.

Notes

1. In this study, we excluded ‘choice’ riders who choose not to own a car for environmental reasons.

2. Includes a streetcar that connects the downtown core; a light rail system connecting neighborhoods surrounding the city center; a commuter rail that connects suburbs to the central city; and 81 distinct local bus routes, many of which connect to the MAX light rail system. There is also a limited paratransit service, the Lift, that qualified riders can access.

3. Six months after these focus groups were concluded, TriMet extended these transfer times to 2.5 h. In focus group excerpts presented here, respondents highlight dilemmas with transfer times that were 2 h in length.

4. The TriMet system has a significantly reduced schedule on the weekend, with longer wait times and service that ends earlier in the evening on certain routes.

5. The ‘stop ID’ mentioned in this excerpt came up frequently: transit-dependent riders tend to live in neighborhoods further from the central city that have less frequent bus service. The stop ID that one can call or text is important for riders who may have to wait 45 min to an hour for a bus to arrive.

6. See also Sheller and Urry’s (2000) discussion: 741.

7. Three such groups are Bus Riders Unite (Portland), the T-Riders Union (Boston), and The Bus Riders Union (Los Angeles).