Understanding Workforce Diversity in the Transit Industry: Establishing a Baseline of Diversity Demographics

Abstract:

This study provides baseline data on the status of the racial/ethnic and gender diversity of the transit agency workforce in the U.S. and identifies potential barriers and promising practices for diversifying this workforce. Public transit agencies function best when the diversity of their workforce represents the communities they serve, yet previous research finds an underrepresentation of women and minorities in senior and managerial roles, along with an overconcentration of men and workers of color—particularly Black workers—in operational roles (e.g., drivers, janitors). The study updates those earlier studies with newer data drawn from five discrete research tasks: 1) review of the scholarly and professional literature on the topic; 2) review of the websites of the 50 largest transit operators; 3) analysis of employee demographic data submitted by 152 transit operators as part of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program plans; 4) analysis of responses to an original survey sent to the human resources personnel of transit agencies (92 responses from staff at 68 agencies), and 5) interviews with 12 professionals selected for their expertise in transportation workforce diversity monitoring, management, and/or advocacy.

Publications:

Understanding Workforce Diversity in the Transit Industry: Establishing a Baseline of Diversity Demographics (Full Report)

Research Brief

Authors:

ASHA WEINSTEIN AGRAWAL, PHD

Dr. Agrawal is Director of the MTI National Transportation Finance Center and also Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at San José State University. Her research and teaching interests include transportation funding policy; planning and policy to support public transit, bicycles and micromobility, and pedestrians; travel survey methods; and transportation history.

EVELYN BLUMENBERG, PHD

Dr. Blumenberg is a Professor of Urban Planning and Director of the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies in the Luskin School of Public Affairs at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her research examines transportation and economic outcomes for low-wage workers, and the role of planning and policy in addressing transportation disparities.

ANASTASIA LOUKAITOU-SIDERIS, PHD

Dr. Loukaitou-Sideris is the Interim Dean of the Luskin School of Public Affairs and a Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning at UCLA. Her research interests include issues around mobility, walkability, and safety in public spaces and transit environments. She is the author or editor of 13 books, including Transit Crime and Sexual Violence in Cities (Routledge 2020).

BRITTNEY LU

Brittney Lu earned joint Master of Urban and Regional Planning and Master of Public Health degrees from UCLA. She currently works as Research and Organizing Manager at Redeemer Community Partnership.

Published:

February 2024

Keywords:

Public transit

Persons by race and ethnicity

Gender

Workforce

Social diversity