Overview

It is critical to understand public transit ridership patterns and experiences in greater depth by race and place to improve public transit equity. To that end, this Chicago-based mixed methods project combines analysis of quantitative city-wide data and in-depth community-based research centered in North Lawndale and on Black perspectives.

Our quantitative analysis (linked below) demonstrates that Black transit riders, even when accounting for mode (rail versus bus) have the longest trips and are least likely to ride public transit as a preference. The interactive map below directly shares perspectives on the best and worst aspects of riding public transit from North Lawndale residents and riders, who emphasized safety, frequency, and reliability.

Detailed insights from our focus groups are included in a linked report below, along with written summaries of all analysis.