ORCID Identifier(s)

ORCID 0000-0001-8925-5795

Graduation Semester and Year

Fall 2024

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Public Policy

Department

Urban and Public Affairs

First Advisor

Dr. Ariadna Reyes-Sánchez

Second Advisor

Dr. Evan Mistur

Third Advisor

Dr. Taner Ozdil

Abstract

General public Demand Response Transit (DRT) is a transit mode that responds to requests to send a vehicle to pick up passengers and take them to their destinations. DRT differs from typical fixed-route transit modes, like buses, because it does not follow a set route or timetable. One of DRT’s goals is to help reduce transit gaps and provide accessibility solutions. However, whether DRT is primarily providing accessibility to the educated and white majority or to disadvantaged communities, such as low-income and minority populations, is unclear. The academic research on transit equity and justice related to DRT’s impact on the mobility of underserved communities is very limited. To fill the research gap, the main inquiry of this research is to understand how DRT affects minority populations’ mobility in an urban setting where the demand for public transportation is low. This study builds upon Macfarlane and colleagues’ (2021) qualitative research in the Utah Southern Salt Lake County (SSLC) DRT service area, which has some inconclusive results due to the small sample size. This dissertation is expanding the literature by providing a quantitative replicable model to examine transportation equity in SSLC based on a comprehensive data set provided by the Utah Transit Authority. The overarching question is: what are the implications of demand response transit for urban transportation equity? Three research questions are formulated: 1) how does demand response transit provide transportation access to minority populations in SSLC, 2) what are the limitations of demand response transit in SSLC, and 3) what transit mode, alternative to demand response transit, could better serve minority populations in SSLC?

The theory of equity and justice is guiding this dissertation, and the methodology follows a case study design using descriptive and causal analyses based on Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regressions (MGWR). To answer the first question, the relationship between ridership and minority populations is examined based on the number of rides per census block group as the dependent variable and race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic characteristics as independent variables. For the second research question, DRT limitations characterized by the wait and travel times are investigated. Descriptive analyses show over 70 percent of the DRT riders waited more than 20 minutes for the vehicle to pick them up. For the wait time, the relationship with the minority populations is examined based on the DRT SSLC ridership of August 2023. For the travel time, the difference (in minutes) between DRT ride duration and an estimated travel time using a private vehicle is established. Then, an MGWR investigates the relationship between the travel time difference and the share of race and ethnicity per census block group. In light of the limitations of DRT (wait and travel time), the third research question examines an alternative transit mode to provide a better service to transit users. A flexible bus transit system is proposed in the South Salt Lake County study area. Ultimately, this case study can help transportation planners consider the implications of general public demand response transit for transportation equity and justice.

Keywords

General public Demand Response Transit, DRT, MGWR, Equity, Justice, Public Transportation, Transit, Minority, Accessibility, Mobility

Disciplines

Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Transportation | Urban, Community and Regional Planning | Urban Studies | Urban Studies and Planning

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Available for download on Monday, November 30, 2026

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