Transportation agencies have historically focused on public transit as the solution to the mobility barriers facing low-income travelers. Transit is an essential service for those who do not own automobiles, but studies show it often fails to meet the travel needs of the poor. The Los Angeles (CA) Mobility Wallet Pilot Program is a novel approach to addressing this issue. The program provided low-income recipients with resources to spend flexibly on a variety of shared transportation services. In this study, we draw on interviews with 31 participants before, during, and after the 1-year pilot program to understand the effect of the mobility wallet on their travel behavior and quality of life. The findings are promising: increased travel frequency, decreased material hardship and stress, improved social connections, feelings of independence and autonomy, and improved wellbeing. The results suggest an important role for flexible, demand-side transportation subsidies in meeting the diverse transportation needs of low-income travelers.

When seeking to achieve transportation equity, planners should recognize the value in adopting policies and programs, such as a mobility wallet, that allow travelers to take advantage of a variety of modes to meet their individual and household needs.

To read the full research article, click here.

To read a shorter policy brief, click here.

Photo by Sharad Bhat on Unsplash

After the murder of Renee Good in Minneapolis (MN) in January 2026, former St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said:

Our own biggest opponent is our own weaponized federal government who says put America first, but arrests American citizens.… I recognize Jim Crow…you show me an era where people had to carry papers to keep from getting harassed and arrested by government agents, I’ll show you an era of profound human rights abuses.… That’s un-American. (WCCO, 2026)

Hearing this searing sermon from Carter reminded me of Charles T. Brown’s (2025) book, Arrested Mobility: Overcoming the Threat to Black Movement. As I looked back to the cover of Brown’s book detailing Black mobility and the way it is policed in the United States, I could not help but see the white stripes stained in blood against the black background morphing from cell bars to the stripes of an American flag. Carter implored his fellow Americans to understand that people being herded, disappeared, and murdered across the country is not who we are as a nation. Yet, throughoutArrested MobilityBrown makes it clear that government actors, including urban planners, have made arresting the mobility of Black people an enduring part of America.

Over five chapters, Brown interweaves his personal story, interview excerpts from Black Americans, and statistics that elucidate arrested mobility: “The intentional and incomplete access to all means of movement in public and sometimes private spaces by way of deliberate overpolicing, which…made us less safe and limited social mobility” (p. 7).

To read the full book review, click here.

Low-income households commonly lack access to quality and affordable transportation options, impeding their access to opportunities. Low-income households with children face additional challenges. We draw on data from thirty-nine in-depth interviews to examine the effect of children on the travel behavior and experience of low-income adults. We find that low-income households with children experience increased financial and temporal burdens related to travel. These unique and complex challenges result in fewer socioeconomic opportunities and financial resources and reduced time for non-travel activities. The findings underscore the importance of programs and policies to develop a multimodal, affordable transportation safety net.

We drew on interview data from thirty-nine low-income adults selected to participate in the Los Angeles Mobility Wallet pilot program in South Los Angeles before they received any funding. We used thematic analysis to examine the travel patterns and challenges of low-income households with and without children and across differing levels of automobile access. We investigated how being low-income and having children affects the travel behavior and decision-making of caregivers. The interviews confirmed that the presence of children in the household complicates the travel behavior of caregivers and, in so doing, compounds the barriers that they face as low-income travelers living in high-poverty neighborhoods. This complex travel has significant implications for mobility, accessibility, and other life outcomes. Despite having constrained financial resources, low-income travelers with caregiving responsibilities have difficulty relying on public transit or other shared modes, ultimately concluding that a more expensive personal vehicle is often an unavoidable necessity. Transportation planners and policymakers must better understand the challenges faced by low-income households with children to provide equitable mobility and accessibility options. Specifically, the findings from our study suggest the need for affordable, multimodal transportation that addresses the diverse travel needs of low-income adults with children.

To read the full research article, click here.

To read a shorter policy brief, click here.

Photo by Nimish Pastaria on Unsplash

What changes to policies and procedures at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) would increase transfers of agency-owned excess land to California Native American Tribes and groups negatively impacted by freeway development? Using case studies on LandBack and reparations and qualitative research with Caltrans staff and community advisory groups, the research team developed recommendations for Caltrans’ excess land process, community performance measures, an overview of relevant policies, and examples of land return around the state.

To read the full research report, click here.

Photo by Brittani Burns on Unsplash

Transportation affordability is a major concern for low-income people and households across the United States. While car ownership rates remain relatively high, the associated costs — insurance, gas, and repairs can place a significant financial burden on low-income households. Even for those who own a vehicle, these costs can limit how often they use it. As a result, in Los Angeles, many low-income residents rely heavily on public transit or active transportation options. In fact, 69% of Metro bus riders report annual household incomes below $25,000.2 Despite this, there is no federal mandate to financially support the mobility needs of low-income people — besides fare discounts for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

To read the full policy brief, click here.

Photo by Lauren Kan on Unsplash

Photo by Yunming Wang on Unsplash

Universal basic mobility is a growing transportation concept rooted in the belief that everyone should be able to travel to the places they need — and want — to go in ways that best suit their lives and households. Reliable transportation access is essential to quality of life, yet barriers remain, especially for low-income people of color. Compared to higher-income white travelers, they often struggle to afford transportation costs and so are less likely to own cars and more likely to rely on public transit.

To read the full brief, click here.

As we passed the anniversary of George Floyd’s death, I couldn’t help but wonder if Black Lives still matter to people who bike and the bicycle industry. Last year, I saw all sectors of our cycling world splash social media with images of Floyd’s face, black boxes, and hashtags, as they desperately tried to pander to my beautiful Black existence.

These companies, clubs, and advocates pledged to change their normal course of business, be more inclusive, and center the experiences of Black people who bike. As I as saw these promises stacking up, I wondered what would happen in the bicycling world.

In October, not quite a half year since Floyd’s death, the first hints of a change in bicycling came as the summer’s pandemic-induced bicycling boom continued to grow. Bicycle advocates saw a moment to make their work more impactful and help new converts to bicycling understand the importance of advocacy for safe streets. What remained unclear is whether this shift would center race.

Within this context of change and uncertainty Bicycling published an article titled “How Bike Advocates Are Eyeing Safer Streets for All.” The article’s headline indicated that this moment in history caused bike advocates to change and start focusing on seeking traffic solutions that did not involve police.

To read the full essay visit Bicycling Magazine…

Erin Kerrison, a scholar in the school of social welfare at UC Berkeley, noted in the Sacramento Bee how the default setting for public space is frequently white. “They imagine what is theirs, their streets, their grocery stores, their sidewalks, and what they claim is theirs against a Black threat.”

So how to build a city that is more equitable? One in which public space can be accessed by African Americans without threat or fear? The Times spoke with nine architects, planners and advocates for their ideas.

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Read the rest of the Los Angeles Times story by Carolina A. Miranda here.