Public transit and the needs of people experiencing homelessness: a directed content analysis guided by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

ABSTRACT

Transportation has rarely been a variable of interest in studying homelessness, yet its role in the lives of people experiencing homelessness (PEH), especially those in U.S. urban areas, is critical. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found transit agencies often frame riders experiencing homelessness as a problem to solve. Examining the experiences of PEH riders and appreciating the centrality of transit vehicles, properties, and personnel in the lives of PEH are critical to craft ethical solutions. Research question: How does the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system meet the daily needs of individuals experiencing homelessness? We utilized a descriptive phenomenological research design to frame the interview questions and then used Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in service of directed content analysis. We interviewed 42 PEH in Dallas, Texas, who also used the local transit system. Themes included “Transit Meets Basic Needs of Rest and Homeostasis,” “Ambivalent Safety on Transit,” “Transit and Recognition Needs,” and “Transit as a Metaphor for Being Needs.” Findings are discussed in light of previous literature and the potential for critical intervention.

KEYWORDS:

• People experiencing homelessness
• public transit
• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
• directed content analysis
• descriptive phenomenology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities [Grant Number 1508].

Notes on contributors

Anne Nordberg

Anne Nordberg, Ph.D., MSW, is an Associate Professor of Social Work at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Her research focuses on criminal justice reform and mobility equity among vulnerable populations including people experiencing homelessness and criminal justice involved people.

Jaya B. Davis

Jaya B. Davis, Ph.D., is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at UTA. Her primary research focus is in areas of juvenile justice, experiences of women in the criminal-legal system, police training and retention, and issues pertaining to returning citizens.

Stephen Mattingly

Stephen Mattingly is a Professor in Civil Engineering at UTA. He is the Director of the Center for Transportation Studies at UTA and serves on the Executive Committee for the National Institute for Transportation and Communities and as the Associate Director of Research for the Center for Transportation Equity, Decisions, and Dollars.