Transit Agencies Direct Resources to Core Ridership

As commuter ridership continues to lag due to the pandemic, transit systems are adjusting to better serve the essential workers and transit-dependent households who need them the most.

1 minute read

January 5, 2022, 12:00 PM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Bus Stop

Michael Warwick / Shutterstock

While transit ridership plunged during the pandemic, millions of workers in industries deemed 'essential' continued to rely on it. Unsurprisingly, writes Aarian Marshall, these jobs skew disproportionately to people of color. "An analysis from the APTA found that white men were more likely to have given up transit during the pandemic; people of color, people who spoke Spanish, and women did not." 

As Marshall notes, "Agencies are legally obligated to provide equitable service for everyone in their community." But that hasn't always been the case in practice, with most systems focused on suburban commuters.

As 2020 wore on, transit agencies around the country began making changes to better serve the people who need them most. In Pittsburgh, "officials moved resources away from 'commuter' routes—those serving people who worked traditional office jobs on traditional schedules, who now were mostly at home—and toward lower-income neighborhoods, those with larger shares of people of color and households without cars." The Port Authority also added more service at off-peak hours and on weekends.

Other agencies have taken similar steps to address transportation equity and improve their service in underserved neighborhoods by expanding service, reorganizing routes, reducing or eliminating fares, and investing in PR campaigns to get the word out about service changes.

Monday, January 3, 2022 in Wired

Red on white 'Room for Rent, Inquire Inside' sign

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living

Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.

May 24, 2023 - The Atlantic

Vancouver Chuck Wolfe

Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown

In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.

May 24, 2023 - GeekWire

Colorful high-saturation view of downtown Houston, Texas with pink and blue dusk sky

Transforming Downtowns Into Functional Neighborhoods

Rather than ‘monofunctional’ business districts or urban playgrounds, American downtown districts could become multipurpose neighborhoods.

May 25, 2023 - Wired

Close-up of lead water pipe with mineral crusts

An Equity Approach to Lead Pipe Replacement

A former Chicago health commissioner calls on governments to prioritize the most marginalized and historically disinvested communities when distributing funding to replace lead pipes, which have taken the highest toll on the health of disadvantaged c

1 hour ago - Governing

View of wetlands in South Carolina at sunrise or sunset

Supreme Court Limits Clean Water Act’s Power

A recent ruling ‘dramatically’ restricts the law’s reach when it comes to protecting wetlands.

2 hours ago - Politico

Benches along lit paved bike trail adjacent to freeway overpass in Albany, New York

Albany Freeway Ramp Reimagined as Park, Trail

An underused freeway exit ramp is now an inviting linear park that connects the city to the Hudson River.

3 hours ago - Public Square

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.