Paratransit Use of Taxis in Urban and Rural Areas

Paratransit has frequently been recommended as an alternative for low-demand markets and to feed traditional transit systems, such as bus, light rail transit, and heavy rail. One of many paratransit modalities is using taxis in a jitney-like operation. In urban Toluca, taxis are operated by private agencies, which are regulated by the government through operating standards, such as entry controls, fares, and licenses. In rural areas of Toluca, unregulated taxis provide mobility to low income communities where residents cannot afford a vehicle and where transit is not providing desired levels of service. In urban areas, taxis provide a more traditional mobility alternative and compete with traditional transit services and private transportation where they account for 60% of all trips made. Paratransit in rural areas successfully provides mobility to residents that cannot be served appropriately by traditional transit services because of its lack of flexibility and higher travel times. This paper presents a descriptive analysis of the use of taxis as paratransit in urban and rural areas in Mexico. A discrete choice model that represents travel behavior and preferences for rural residents that depend on transit is also presented. It is concluded that travelers prefer paratransit for shorter and less frequent trips. A sensitivity analysis for the paratransit mode share is also shown.