Transport Poverty Lab, the observatory on poverty in transport

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What is transport poverty?

The Final Report on Transport Poverty drawn up by the European Commission defines transport poverty as 'the inability or difficulty of individuals and families to afford the costs of private or public transportation, or the lack of or limited access to transportation necessary to access essential socio-economic services and activities, considering the national and spatial context'.

The phenomenon manifests itself in two dimensions, socio-economic and territorial, linked to accessibility to transport services, especially public ones. By measuring these dimensions with a data-based approach and quantitative metrics, it is possible to identify the priorities of the interventions in areas of high vulnerability to mitigate transport poverty

The numbers of disparity

Six out of 10 Italian families can spend less on transport than the national average, estimated at 262 € / month and, according to the European Commission report, 21% of families at risk of poverty face unsustainable transport costs.

In other words, in the monthly budget of Italian families the cost of transport represents on average the third item of expenditure, with 10% of the total value, immediately after housing expenses (39%) and food expenses (18%).

Poverty in transport due to disability

Among the causes of transport poverty, a non-economic cause is the condition of motor disability. As repeatedly reported on these pages (as well as to the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Antitrust), in cities like Rome and Genoa theinaccessibility of public transport – metro and buses – for users with motor disabilities translates into an even more painful 'poverty' of transport (due to the laziness of those responsible for these services).

At Ferrovie dello Stato, things are no better. Just consider that users with motor disabilities are forced to purchase travel tickets only at the station, with the impossibility of doing so online from the comfort of their own home. And sometimes they cannot even board trains and buses, like in the Susa Valley.

The Transport Poverty Lab Project

The Transport Poverty Lab will operate as participatory design platform, involving companies in the transport sector, trade associations, local authorities, research institutes and stakeholder of sustainable mobility.

Among the first tasks of the Observatory is the drafting of the Report on transport poverty in Italy, with a territorial mapping of the phenomenon and insights into the correlations between income and accessibility.

The tools already active

At the international level, to address transport poverty, initiatives have spread intervention tools aimed at stimulating demand: measures that reduce economic barriers to access to mobility, in particular for vulnerable groups, such as:

Mobility Wallet: digital wallets to pay for public transport, sharing and taxis, linked to income (e.g. Los Angeles, Brussels, France);
incentives for sustainable vehicles: increased bonuses for electric cars and bicycles for families with low ISEE (Italy, California, Germany);
discounted rates on taxis and ride-hailing: discounts for women, seniors, unemployed (e.g. Trento);
subsidized public transport: free or reduced-price subscriptions (e.g. Bonus Trasporti Italia, 'Solidarity Pricing' model in France);
on-call transport (DRT): on-demand services for rural or peripheral areas with social rates;
Incentivised car-pooling: premiums or reduced fares for low-income commuters (e.g. France, Karos project).

These tools focus mainly on incentives for demand and access to sustainable vehicles, but require a rStrengthening the offer of services and a greater integration with public transport to be truly inclusive and effective.

Marta Strinati