The latest Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) research, No Ticket to Ride: A Systematic Definition of Transit Insecurity, found several factors that contribute to transit insecurity. 

MTI used a systematic review of literature on transportation.

The review found these four primary factors that contribute to transit insecurity:

Income level

Several studies used in this research found transit insecurity to be more prevalent in lower income individuals or neighborhoods.

Travel distance

Several studies demonstrate the negative impacts that travel distance can have on an individual’s likelihood to make use of health services. For example, one study found that individuals with diabetes actually had higher glycemic levels when they lacked transportation access and were not able to visit health care facilities for treatment.

Travel duration

Similarly, multiple studies suggest that long travel time contributes to persons or communities being transit insecure, which can exacerbate negative health outcomes. 

Accessibility

Several studies have shown that transit environments have not always been inclusive of individuals with cognitive impairments and individuals with disabilities.

“Along with the direct effects of inability to consistently access transit, we suspect that there are links between transit insecurity and other, more well-studied issues like food- and job-insecurity; we hope these links will become increasingly apparent with further research,” said Dr. Dan Nathan-Roberts, the study's author.

MTI presents the definition of “transit insecurity” as the inability to consistently access or afford reliable transportation.  This leads to demonstrable negative impacts on a person or community.