Developing an Equity Analysis Framework for On-demand Mobility Services with Emphasis on Accessibility Outcomes

Abstract

The transportation market is transforming significantly due to emerging mobility trends and technologies. This new paradigm contains a wide range of flexible, on-demand mobility services, from micro-mobility options like shared bikes and scooters to ride-hailing services like Uber. These shared on-demand mobility services promise to deliver economic, environmental, and social benefits to society. However, questions arise about the equitable distribution of the benefits and negative impacts of emerging on-demand mobility services among different population groups. Research on the equity performance of shared on-demand mobility services is still evolving. Several challenges persist, including the limitations of existing methodologies that rely on the fixed spatial nature of traditional transit infrastructure to assess the equity of free-floating on-demand mobility services, a lack of high-resolution data, and the oversight of the unique characteristics of on-demand mobility services, such as rebalancing and matching dynamics. Given these complexities, there is a clear need to develop a comprehensive equity analysis framework capable of adapting to the complex service provision processes associated with shared on-demand mobility services. Consequently, this thesis aims to create a general framework for evaluating the equity performance of emerging shared on-demand mobility services, specifically focusing on assessing access to jobs and land uses as key indicators.