Addressing Spatial Mismatch in Labor and Transportation Access with Connected Automated Shuttles to Meet the Needs of Low-Income Populations

Principal Investigator(s):

Amanda Blomberg Stathopoulos, Associate Professor and William Patterson Junior Professorship Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering – Northwestern University

Project Abstract:
CAV deployment is poised to improve accessibility, lower costs, decrease congestion, and widen opportunities for mobility by underserved groups. Yet the benefits of automation remain unevenly distributed and future equity of opportunities depends on how new mobility solutions are designed and deployed within existing mobility systems and the broader society. Due to historical residential patterns, many households in the US find that car access is essential to reach jobs, opportunities, and daily necessities such as groceries and healthcare. The goal of this project is to investigate opportunities and challenges for emerging automated vehicle technologies and services to connect underserved and low-income populations with essential opportunities such as employment. Any new mobility solution needs to carefully contend with how different members of society currently navigate multimodal systems and gaps in service and access. This research will provide insight into designing automated shuttle services that help narrow the spatial mismatch between low- income workers and jobs, thereby improving their employment outcomes and economic opportunities.

Institution(s): Northwestern University

Award Year: 2023

Research Focus: Mobility, Equity

Project Form(s):