Public Transit Trips Per Capita
Definition
Public transit trips per capita measures the average number of public transit trips taken, per capita, on Winnipeg Transit.
Why This Matters
Transportation is an important and unavoidable part of our daily lives whether we are going to work, school, or social gatherings. Convenient and well-designed public transit systems can decrease reliance on automobiles and result in a variety of benefits for the environment, community and citizens.
The attractiveness of different modes of transportation depends heavily on the design of transportation networks and urban planning (Ewing, Meakins, Bjarnson, & Hilton, 2011; Ewing & Cervero, 2001). Transit use can be encouraged through improvements in the design, efficiency and user-friendliness of public transit, and designing new suburban expansions with public transit in mind. Public transit use also reduces automobile use, greenhouse gas emissions and the release of other atmospheric pollutants.
Public transit is also linked to health. Public transit users often get more exercise than people who drive because walking is required to get to and from bus stops. This exercise increases the likelihood that users will meet the minimum daily recommendation for exercise which, in turn, can help prevent various illnesses (Besser & Dannenberg, 2005; Lachapelle & Frank, 2009).
Measurement and Limitations
The public transit use indicator measures the number of transit trips per capita. This is the total number of transit trips divided by the service area population, as defined by Winnipeg Transit.
Winnipeg Transit conducts quarterly fare surveys to calculate the proportions of passengers who use cash, tickets and bus passes. These proportions vary by route type (local, express), day of the week (Weekday, Saturday, Sunday/Holiday), and season. Using a complicated formula, pass ridership is calculated by applying these ratios to the daily cash and ticket revenues as well as sales of the weekly and monthly bus passes. Also figuring into this is an estimate of daily pass usage based on a study of pass riders’ trip diaries.
Data Source
Winnipeg Transit collects ridership figures and provides data to Peg upon request. Data is updated on Peg as it becomes available from the data providers.
References
Besser, L.M., & Dannenberg, A.L. (2005). Walking to public transit: Steps to help meet physical activity recommendations. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 29(4), 273-280.
Ewing, R., & Cervero, R. (2001). Travel and the built environment: A synthesis. Transportation Research Board of the National Academies. 1780, 87-114.
Ewing, R., Meakins, G., Bjarnson, G., & Hilton, H. (2011). Transportation and land use. Making Healthy Places, part III, 149-169.
LaChapelle, U., & Frank, L.D. (2009). Transit and health: Mode of transport, employer-sponsored public transit pass programs, and physical activity. Journal of Public Health Policy, 30, 573-594
Public Transit Trips Per Capita in the Sustainable Development Goals
Click on the SDG to reveal more information
11. Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, social development and much more. At their best, cities have enabled people to advance socially and economically.
However, many challenges exist to maintaining cities in a way that continues to create jobs and prosperity while not straining land and resources. Common urban challenges include congestion, lack of funds to provide basic services, a shortage of adequate housing and declining infrastructure.
The challenges cities face can be overcome in ways that allow them to continue to thrive and grow, while improving resource use and reducing pollution and poverty. The future we want includes cities of opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more.
Related Public Transit Trips Per Capita Targets
By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons