Access to transit can deliver a host of benefits to the riders and to the region. Previous research aiming to study these benefits has primarily relied on data collected from the opening of new routes or transit systems, and has focused on the general population.  Little is known about how low-income riders (LIR) react to, and benefit from, the removal of transit cost barriers. A recent change in TriMet’s Honored Citizens Program (HCP) provides a rare opportunity to do a quasi-experimental study on these questions. 

With the intention of increasing ridership while addressing the needs of transit-dependent riders in the region, TriMet (Portland, Oregon) expanded the Honored Citizens Program in July 2018 to include low-income riders. With this expansion, HCP provides discounted public transit prices for those with low income, as well as other disadvantaged populations such as those with a senior-citizen status and those with physical or mental disabilities. Using a quasi-experimental design with one pre-test and two post-tests, the interdisciplinary research team based at Portland State University intends to assess the effectiveness of the HCP expansion and its effect on changing the travel behavior of low-income participants before and after their enrollment in the program. We will examine their use of public transit and also other modes of transportation (biking, walking, driving solo, carpool). We will also explore whether and how changes in mobility translate into changes in well-being and access to schooling- and employment-related opportunities, among this population. 

Between September 2019 and November 2020, in collaboration with TriMet, the research team plans to survey 200 and interview 10 LIRs who are newly enrolled in HCP, analyze the quantitative and qualitative data, prepare a report for TriMet management, and disseminate the findings to TriMet and other transportation policy makers, as well as prepare journal and conference submissions based on the findings.