Tech on Wheels: Exploring Microtransit's ICT perceptions in Latin America and the Caribbean

Microtransit services are a midpoint between standard ride-hailing services and conventional bus fleets from public transit. Utilizing small buses or vans to provide on-demand shared transport, these services enable users to reserve seats, track their trips, and receive real-time estimates of pick-up and drop-off times. While public transit systems in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region are the subject of critical and often contentious policy debates with frequent references to user discontent and an overall decline in quality, microtransit is emerging as an alternative that could improve existing transit systems. They are argued to be an effective means to extend the coverage of transit services in transit deserts, by providing service in areas without transit routes and where investments in stations and infrastructure might not be cost effective. Despite its potential benefits, microtransit remains under studied in the LAC region. Based on survey data gathered for Barranquilla, Colombia, and Mexico City, Mexico, this research examines the added value of digital technology features in microtransit. This paper explores individuals' perceptions of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) features present in microtransit and different variables mediating such perceptions. Employing factor analysis, and Structural Equation Models (SEM), ICT features are considered as latent variables and placed as the main outcome of the SEM. Other latent variables encompassing perceptions, such as the quality and safety of public transit, are also included in the model. Results indicate that individuals with pro-car attitudes and those who own cars are more likely to prefer ICT features in microtransit, suggesting potential for modal shift. Similarly, insecurity in public transit also explains favorable perceptions about the ICT features in microtransit. We also found that higher levels of technological savviness and being a ride-hailing adopter are related to increased valuations of microtransit. • Microtransit, using small buses or vans with on-demand booking and real-time tracking, offers a flexible alternative between ride-hailing and traditional public transit, especially valuable in transit deserts. • Despite growing interest, microtransit is under-studied in Latin America and the Caribbean; this study investigates ICT features in microtransit services using survey data from Barranquilla, Colombia, and Mexico City, Mexico. • Pro-car individuals, car owners, and those dissatisfied with public transit security show higher preference for ICT features in microtransit, indicating potential for shifting travel modes. • Greater technological savviness and prior ride-hailing use are strongly linked to more positive evaluations of microtransit’s ICT features.