Transit-based job accessibility of workers with different educational attainments in México City: gaps with public transportation potential needs indices

Abstract

Evaluating spatial access to urban opportunities (such as jobs) has been an emergent approach to studying urban inequities. Unlike in developed countries, where scholars have identified a significant correlation between socioeconomic inequality and residential segregation, Mexico City exhibits relatively high levels of inequality but not extensive segregation in terms of educational outcomes. What is the role of this phenomenon in job access for workers with different educational attainments? This study in the Greater Mexico City area calculates access by public transport using a competitive measure and evaluates the spatial overlapping with other potential socioeconomic groups at a disadvantage. Transit potential needs indices were computed using scaling and exploratory factor analysis. Then, a spatial overlap analysis evaluated where the most significant gaps exist. Results showed that job access by transit decreases with increasing levels of education. This was explained by the location of stationary jobs in specific central corridors for the highly educated and a relative increase in educational outcomes of the population living toward the outskirts (increasing spatial mismatch). The gaps with each transit potential needs index were discussed regarding geographical patterns and potential population groups at a disadvantage. This work contributes to a better understanding of transit disadvantage conditions in the developing context.