Designing Public Transit from the Margins: How rethinking public transit in Boston to support the travel patterns of transit-reliant women could transform public transit for the better

Abstract

Boston’s public transportation network, the MBTA, is a “hub-and-spokes” system: rail lines radiate out to the suburbs from a few central downtown stations, and traveling between the “spokes” often requires taking multiple buses or traveling all the way inbound to transfer. Particularly on the bus and Commuter Rail systems, off-peak service is limited. For those who live in the suburbs and commute to the city during rush hour, this setup works relatively well. However, many women that depend on public transportation face unique difficulties. Women are more likely to make care-related and household sustaining trips such as grocery runs and dropping off and picking up children from school, to make multiple trips in a row (trip-chaining), and to feel unsafe on public transit. Understanding the limitations that transit-reliant women face can help to build a more comprehensive public transit system that supports all types of trips and improves public transportation for everyone. This practice aligns with the theory of “designing from the margins”.

Using data from a survey I conducted of almost 200 women in the Boston area, I examine some of the issues and obstacles that these women face when using public transit and visualize many of these roadblocks using QGIS. I then use MBTA performance data and census demographic data to determine where the greatest gaps between transit usage/reliance and transit service occur in Greater Boston, with a particular focus on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inequities which it exacerbated. To conclude, I suggest some design guidelines for new transit infrastructure that the MBTA could adapt to accommodate the travel patterns of the women surveyed and highlight the Boston neighborhoods and nearby cities that should be prioritized.