AI Applications in Transportation and Equity: A Survey of U.S. Transportation Professionals

This paper reports on a study investigating transportation professionals’ perceptions of AI’s equity impacts in the transportation sector, focusing on demographic variations in views. A survey conducted among U.S. transportation professionals examined their attitudes toward AI’s potential to influence transportation equity and ethics. The findings reveal insights based on gender, employment sector, educational background, and AI knowledge level, with notable differences in confidence towards AI’s ability to reduce bias and engage communities. This research highlights a commonly held opinion that there is a limited understanding of AI ethics within the transportation community, emphasizing the need for ongoing education and adaptation to AI technologies. This study contributes valuable perspectives to the discourse on AI, equity, and ethics in transportation, offering a foundation for future policy and strategy development.