Browsing by Author "Panchal, Niyati"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Centering the Margins: The Transportation Experience of Underserved Communities
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2023-08) Fan, Yingling; Greenberg, Gillian; Panchal, Niyati; Wilson, Maxwell; Luna, Christina; Amrhein, Joseph; Benda, Samuel; Song, Ying; Zeng, Xiaohuan
    Transportation systems, as integral parts of human settlements, reflect the societal structures and cultural ideologies influenced predominantly by the dominant race or class. In the absence of prioritizing the transportation needs of underserved communities, transportation systems may perpetuate systematic inequities. This study aims to address the inequities present in current transportation systems by conducting a comprehensive examination of the transportation experiences of individuals belonging to ten specific underserved communities. These communities include eight within the Twin Cities metropolitan region (Latinx, African American, Hmong, people with disabilities, immigrants, people living with HIV, single mothers, and single fathers), as well as two communities in the Greater Minnesota area (transitioning home residents in Fergus Falls and tribal members of the White Earth Nation). This research adopts a mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative interviews and quantitative smartphone-based travel behavior surveys. The findings reveal that each community faces distinct transportation barriers, alongside shared themes in transportation inequities such as inadequate public transportation, difficulties related to car use, and the impact of transportation on significant life outcomes. Recommendations for future research and practice are provided.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Funding Shared Mobility as an Extension of Existing Public Transit Services
    (Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, 2022-10) Fonseca-Sarmiento, Camila; Zeerak, Raihana; Schuette, Anthony; Panchal, Niyati; Zhao, Jerry
    Public transit services are vital for the mobility and connectivity of communities. Rural public transit services connect users to health care, education, employment, and social and recreational activities. However, rural communities are limited in their mobility due to high costs and limited availability of affordable and reliable transportation options. Shared mobility is an innovative strategy to meet demand for public transit in rural areas that also provides social and environmental benefits. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is exploring how public transit funding may be used to fund shared mobility services as an extension of existing public transit services in small urban and rural areas in Minnesota. This study identifies funding available for this purpose, as well as the limitations in the federal and state regulations for use of such funding sources. In addition, this research explores how transit agencies across the U.S. have funded similar projects and identify opportunities for improvements in Minnesota.