Youths on the move: Social disparities in public transportation use among school students

Public transportation (PT) plays a crucial role in catering to the mobility needs of school students. However, the disparities of PT travel characteristics among different socioeconomic groups have been underexplored. In this study, we explore disparities in PT usage, after-school activity participation, journey length, and on-board crowding among different socioeconomic groups as well as between different educational stages (primary, secondary). We specifically focus on home-to-school and school-to-activity PT journeys utilizing automated data sources (smart card data). Results from the case study of Region Stockholm show that travel time and crowding exposure vary across the case study area. Specifically, school students coming from areas with higher income levels, higher shares of cooperative housing, or lower vehicle ownership tend to need less time to travel to school. In terms of student categorization, secondary students with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds tend to travel longer to school compared to primary students. Concerning journeys to after-school activities using PT, results reveal that school students from areas with high vehicle ownership and education or lower employment levels, as well as students from suburban/rural areas, have lower odds of using PT. The findings can assist policy makers and PT agencies in designing more equitable and youth-friendly PT systems, improving access to schools and to after-school activity locations. • Social disparities in public transportation use among school students are assessed. • Home-to-school and school-to-activity journeys are analyzed. • Students with a higher socioeconomic profile need less time to travel to school. • Vehicle ownership reduces after-school participation using public transportation. • Results may assist in youth-friendly design of public transportation networks.