How do you travel? A holistic evaluation of public transport journeys of women: A case study of Delhi, India

Women in South-and Southeast-Asia encounter numerous barriers when traveling with informal and formal public transport modes. These barriers are often complex and rooted in societal norms. Previous works have predominantly focused on user satisfaction surveys to evaluate service quality of public transport journeys. There is a very limited understanding of women’s first-and-last mile trips, especially by income groups. The present study contributes to this knowledge gap by developing a detailed audit framework to evaluate whole public transport journeys, including first-and last-mile trips with intermediate public transport (informal) modes. Delhi, India is chosen as the case study city. The audit is used to evaluate 45 whole public transport journeys, with a variation in origin-destination pairs by income levels. In addition, anecdotal findings through conversations with female commuters enroute, from varying income levels, provide valuable insights into their constant awareness for personal safety and the detailed pre-planning undertaken to reach their destinations safely. It is evident from the results that low-income women are the most disadvantaged. Despite rides being subsidized by the government, they navigate poorly built environments and slow local bus services. Results also showed that first mile trips are the weakest links in the whole journeys. These findings provide evidence that despite attempts to improve the transport system, it remains inadequately designed for women, particularly those who are most vulnerable. The study concludes with recommendations for policymakers and practitioners.