USERS OF URBAN TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AND THEIR INCOME CIRCUMSTANCES

Abstract

THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT SEEM APPROPRIATE TO A REALISTIC ANALYSIS OF DECISIONS ON PROVIDING OR IMPROVING URBAN TRANSPORT SERVICES ARE DELINEATED. EMPHASIS IS PLACED, NOT ON THE OVERALL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS OR ON AGGREGATE BENEFIT-COST ANALYSIS, BUT ON THE INCIDENTS OF THE TRANSPORT COSTS AND BENEFITS AND ON IDENTIFYING, WHERE POSSIBLE, THE EXTENT TO WHICH PARTICULAR INCOME OR SOCIAL GROUPS ARE AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT ACTIONS. THE AVAILABLE DATA ARE RECORDED AND SUMMARIZED SO THAT INFERENCES MAY BE DRAWN ABOUT INCOME CIRCUMSTANCES APPROPRIATE TO VARIOUS TYPES OF URBAN TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AND FACILITIES. THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC URBAN TRANSPORT SITUATIONS AND FACILITIES ARE EXAMINED: (1) THE SKOKIE SWIFT SERVICE OPERATED IN THE CHICAGO AREA, (2) TRANSPORTATION FOR MID-MANHATTAN WORKERS, AND (3) THE TRANSIT AND COMMUTER RAILROAD SERVICES IN THE BOSTON REGION. THE STUDY SHOWS THAT: (1) NEITHER THE LINE MILEAGE NOR THE STATION COVERAGE OF NEW OR PROPOSED RAIL RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEMS WILL BE CONCENTRATED WITHIN THE CENTRAL CITIES RATHER THAN THE SUBURBS, (3) THOSE TYPES OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT FACILITIES WHICH OFFER POTENTIAL FOR SERVING MASSES OF RIDERS OR THE POOR, OLD AND HANDICAPPED RECEIVE FAR TOO LITTLE ATTENTION, (4) MORE ATTENTION DESERVES TO BE DEVOTED TO THE PROBLEM OF PROVIDING ACCESSIBILITY TO THE POOR AND TO THE UNEMPLOYED WHO ARE HANDICAPPED BY LACK OF AUTO AVAILABILITY AND (5) CONTINUED FUNDING AND SUBSIDIZATION OF COMMUTER RAILROAD AND RAIL RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEMS IS NOT LIKELY TO HELP THE POOR, AGED, HANDICAPPED, AND VERY YOUNG.

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