Perceived Accessibility for Women: First-Mile Trips to Transit-Oriented Developments
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
2025
Subject Area
place - australasia, place - urban, land use - transit oriented development, land use - impacts, planning - surveys, ridership - mode choice, ridership - perceptions
Keywords
public transportation, women, accessibility, equity, rail, income
Abstract
First- and last-mile trips significantly influence public transport ridership. This study contributes to the understanding of perceived accessibility for women in first-mile trips by considering intersectionality of land use diversity and first-mile mode choices. Trips to 12 transit-oriented development (ToD) stations across Auckland city, New Zealand, were analyzed. An equity perspective is considered by selecting ToD sites with varying land-use diversity index scores and distances traveled. Around 500 public transport riders responded to an online survey and the sample closely represents Auckland’s population. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis to determine the perceived accessibility and perceived personal security scores of women in comparison with men. Findings provide statistically significant evidence of gendered differences in access to ToDs. Women are more likely to walk to ToD stations than men and they are more likely to walk within a distance of 1 km (~0.62 mi). High-intensity land use positively influences women’s perception of ease of accessing stations. This suggests women’s restricted access to cars, and highlights that walkable ToDs are more beneficial for women. Overall, findings highlight the need for disaggregated data to incorporate a gendered perspective in the design of inclusive public transport systems. As more cities develop strategies to increase ridership, it is crucial to examine travel patterns through a gender equity lens to ensure the travel needs of women are considered, particularly those who are often marginalized.
Rights
Permission to publish the abstract has been given by SAGE, copyright remains with them.
Recommended Citation
Suraweera, A., Chowdhury, S., & Welch, T. (2025). Perceived accessibility for women: First-mile trips to transit-oriented developments. Transportation Research Record, 2679(8), 1044-1058.
