A Clustering Approach for Analyzing Access to Public Transportation and Destinations

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2024-08-13

Authors

Mudassar Shafiq (Author) Other; Hudyeron Rocha (Author) Other; António Fidalgo Couto (Author) FEUP; Sara Ferreira (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Sustainability

Vol. 16

Final page: 6944

ISSN: 2071-1050

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-016-QVY

DOI: 10.3390/su16166944

Abstract (EN): Promoting sustainable and equitable public transportation services is essential for addressing disparities and preventing social exclusion among diverse population groups for daily activities. This paper proposes a comprehensive approach to assess transport disadvantages and identify areas with limited access to public transport and services. By combining statistical and geographic techniques, we analyze demographic, socioeconomic, and travel data to spatially contextualize areas based on the social structure and understand the characteristics of population groups facing transportation challenges in the Porto Metropolitan Area. Cluster analysis results revealed four distinct clusters with homogeneous characteristics. In contrast, service area analysis assessed the public transport coverage to identify served zones, the population within these zones, and activities reached in the region. Our findings indicate that suburban and rural areas often lack access to public transport stops, aggravated by lower service frequencies, leading to high reliance on private cars for essential activities, such as work and education. Despite the good geographical coverage of rail and bus stops, urban and central-urban areas also suffer from inadequate service frequencies, impacting public transport usage. Improving service quality in high-demand areas could encourage greater public transport utilization and enhance accessibility. Identifying areas facing inequities facilitates targeted policy interventions and prioritized investments to improve accessibility and address mobility needs to access services effectively.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 24