Abstract

Many studies in transit related research suggest that access to quality transit directly influences the economic mobility of communities. Southern poverty, particularly in the Mountain South, is hard to remedy without access to affordable transit options that allow people to keep jobs and tend to their personal needs. Most small transit services exist as social welfare systems for residents who are too poor to own private transportation or who are too young or old to drive. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, between 2009-2013 20 percent of Asheville residents were below the poverty level. The City of Asheville maintains a bus transit service called ART: Asheville Redefines Transit and helped collect a survey feedback in 2013 from bus riders. Respondents were asked demographic information and then asked to categorically rate the importance of system aspects and their level of satisfaction with 2012 system changes. The purpose of this study is to use this data to look at the relationship between income and ridership priorities. As a rider’s income increases, importance of transit system changes decreases. This study also finds that low-income riders tend to place more importance on all aspects of the transit system, and higher income ridership is more satisfied with the system as a whole than lower income ridership. The findings from this study suggest that given the comfort level of high income ridership with ART services, ART should place low-income, non-elective ridership priorities first as the system is necessary for these riders.

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