Unlocking nighttime mobility: Land use and accessibility in public transit for night commuters

Pan, Meiyu (Melrose); Patwary, A. Latif; Uddin, Majbah

doi:10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2025.104290

Unlocking nighttime mobility: Land use and accessibility in public transit for night commuters

Journal Article · Mon May 19 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Journal of Transport Geography

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2025.104290· OSTI ID:3002841

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). National Transportation Research Center (NTRC)

Night commuters are integral to urban transportation systems. Essential services such as healthcare and manufacturing rely on workers who travel at night, and reliable mobility options are crucial for them. A gap exists in understanding how land use and accessibility influence public transportation use among night commuters. This study addresses this gap by using public data to explore land use and accessibility factors that affect night commuters' public transportation use in New York State. We investigated (1) the demographic characteristics of night commuters; (2) the influence of land use and accessibility on nighttime public transportation use; and (3) potential improvements to increase public transportation use and their impact. We combined data from the National Household Travel Survey with the Smart Location Database to link home locations with land use characteristics. Using logistic regression, we found that although females are generally less likely to be night commuters, they are more likely to use public transportation. Longer commute distances are associated with higher use of public transportation. Increasing job density along fixed-guideway transit routes and improving overall job accessibility via public transportation significantly enhances public transportation use among night commuters. In conclusion, this research provides actionable insights for public transportation agencies and urban planners to support night commuters, improving access and encouraging nighttime employment.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 3002841

Journal Information:: Journal of Transport Geography, Journal Name: Journal of Transport Geography Vol. 127; ISSN 0966-6923

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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