Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
New York City’s public transportation system, vital for the mobility and livelihood of its residents, may contribute to social and economic inequities through disparities in service quality, accessibility, and fare enforcement. In the Bronx, disparities in transit experience may heighten existing social inequalities. The relationship between public transit and social equity is well-established, with research highlighting that access to efficient and reliable public transportation is essential for social mobility, economic opportunity, and overall quality of life. Transit inequities, as urban theorists like Edward Soja and scholars of spatial justice have argued, reinforce existing social and economic inequalities by limiting residents' access to critical resources such as employment, education, and healthcare. Theoretical perspectives from criminology, such as labeling theory, have examined how increased policing of fare evasion disproportionately targets low-income individuals, framing fare evasion as a criminal offense rather than addressing underlying economic hardship. This study aims to fill gaps in knowledge by analyzing the correlation between socioeconomic status and the quality and accessibility of public transit services across Bronx neighborhoods. Research methods include participant observation to examine fare evasion, and commuters anonymous surveys regarding bus transit/bus stop quality/accessibility and fare evasion. I argue that lower-income neighborhoods in NYC, specifically the Bronx, experience poorer transit service quality (e.g., more frequent delays, older buses, fewer accessibility features) and higher fare evasion rates than higher-income communities, likely due to economic hardship rather than disregard for transit rules. I will also explore solutions to these inequities.
Recommended Citation
Taveras, Abigail, "036 - The Bronx Bus Ride: Examining Bus Quality, Accessibility and Fare Evasion" (2025). GREAT Day Posters. 11.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2025/posters-2025/11
036 - The Bronx Bus Ride: Examining Bus Quality, Accessibility and Fare Evasion
New York City’s public transportation system, vital for the mobility and livelihood of its residents, may contribute to social and economic inequities through disparities in service quality, accessibility, and fare enforcement. In the Bronx, disparities in transit experience may heighten existing social inequalities. The relationship between public transit and social equity is well-established, with research highlighting that access to efficient and reliable public transportation is essential for social mobility, economic opportunity, and overall quality of life. Transit inequities, as urban theorists like Edward Soja and scholars of spatial justice have argued, reinforce existing social and economic inequalities by limiting residents' access to critical resources such as employment, education, and healthcare. Theoretical perspectives from criminology, such as labeling theory, have examined how increased policing of fare evasion disproportionately targets low-income individuals, framing fare evasion as a criminal offense rather than addressing underlying economic hardship. This study aims to fill gaps in knowledge by analyzing the correlation between socioeconomic status and the quality and accessibility of public transit services across Bronx neighborhoods. Research methods include participant observation to examine fare evasion, and commuters anonymous surveys regarding bus transit/bus stop quality/accessibility and fare evasion. I argue that lower-income neighborhoods in NYC, specifically the Bronx, experience poorer transit service quality (e.g., more frequent delays, older buses, fewer accessibility features) and higher fare evasion rates than higher-income communities, likely due to economic hardship rather than disregard for transit rules. I will also explore solutions to these inequities.
Comments
Sponsored by Jennifer Rogalsky