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NICR Webcast Series: From Taxis to Ridehailing: Examining Gender Issues for Female Drivers and Passengers

January 23, 2025

Brooke Wolfe of the UC Berkeley Transportation Sustainability Research Center will be presenting research findings on February 13, 2025 from 12:00-1:00pm ET.

Abstract:

This research analyzes gender issues for female drivers and passengers of transportation network companies (TNCs) and taxis. Between August 2023 and May 2024, the researchers conducted driver and rider focus groups (n=8 drivers and n=8 passengers); a driver survey (n=170); a TNC user/non-user survey (n=440, including n=217/440 taxi non-users, n=7/440 TNC non-users, and a subset of n=5/440 non-users of TNCs and taxis); and expert interviews (n=13). This research finds that both female drivers and passengers experience an array of safety concerns and challenges traveling with young children in TNCs (e.g., traveling with a car seat, driver accommodation of car seats, etc.). The report discusses policy considerations to address these concerns (e.g., expanding a ‘women-preferred’ option for drivers and passengers and introducing an optional service for drivers to provide car seats for passengers with children). These policies could help reduce several concerns that female drivers and passengers confront when using TNCs.

Click here for more information and to register for the webinar.

This foundation tries to get young Californians into transportation jobs

December 23, 2024
Zayna Syed

Susan Shaheen, the Transportation Sustainability Research Center’s co-director, discusses the Education Symposium held by the California Transportation Foundation.

“My perception has been that a lot of people who go to it are very inspired,” Shaheen, who is on the board for the foundation, said. “You’re hearing from people who are really senior in the field, and they’re talking to you, they’re focused on you, they’re answering your questions, and working side-by-side with you on a project for the symposium.”

Many of Shaheen’s students are interested in sustainable transportation, particularly since she directs the Innovative Mobility Research lab at the Transportation Sustainability Research Center at Berkeley. “With any transition, the jobs do change,” she said. “When we go from horse and carriage to car, there’s major changes. And when you make changes to electronics, to the sensing systems, or the propulsion systems and how they’re fueled, that involves education and workforce development.” 

Read full article here.

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