The document discusses the definitions and measurements of equity in transit-oriented development (TOD), highlighting the lack of consensus on equitable TOD metrics. It proposes potential rating systems that focus on people-oriented outcomes and identifies 'core riders' as key users of transit, including low-income households and renters. Additionally, it introduces the ETOD score, which evaluates transit characteristics, demographic factors, and development metrics to assess TOD equity and effectiveness.

1. HOW CAN EQUITY IN TOD BE
DEFINED AND MEASURED?

2. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
• No consensus definition of equitable
TOD, therefore there is no way to
distinguish “good” from “not as good”
equitable TOD
• Metrics needed in order to shape
both approvals and subsidy
decisions
• Rating systems exist at project level
(e.g. Transform’s GreenTrip) but not at
level of the station area
• The “best” type of project varies
depending on what is and isn’t
available in the station area
Developing a TOD rating system

3. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Why in Massachusetts? VMT data!!

4. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
The Dukakis Center’s TOD framework:
Focus on people, as well as place

5. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
OPTION ONE: TOD & equity sub-scores
Mixed-income
housing
Enhanced access
Neighborhood
amenities
Higher ridership
Lower VMT
Catalytic TOD
Higher Ridership/
Lower VMT
Greater Equity
Outcomes
Equitable
TOD
TOD
Rating
Equity
Rating

6. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
• For “transit orientation” we know the desired outcome
– less driving, more transit use
• Analyze factors using daily household Vehicle
Miles Travelled as the “dependent variable”
• For “equity orientation” it is more difficult to define a
single desired outcome
• One option would be to construct an equity
“scale”
• Or, use a less quantitative approach and focus
on factors relevant to equity
But what is the equity “outcome”?

7. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
OPTION TWO: One integrated
rating system
• Higher ridership
• Lower VMT
• Catalytic TOD
• Mixed-income
housing
• Enhanced access
• Neighborhood
amenities
TOD
Rating
Equity
Rating
Equitable
TOD

8. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
• The Dukakis Center’s research supports the
conclusion that TOD should be oriented toward people
most likely to use transit, a group the Center calls
“core riders”
• For TOD to succeed, transit needs “transit oriented
neighbors”
• If both Transit and Development are “oriented” toward
core riders, the resulting
TOD should be both high
performing and
equitable
Equitable TOD = Orienting Transit and
Development Toward Core Riders

9. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Who are the “core” users of transit?
• Immigrants
• People of color
• Zero Vehicle
Households
• Renters
• Low and Lower
Middle Income
Households
Chu, 2012. An Assessment of Public
Transportation Markets Using NHTS Data.
10.6%
15.1%
12.1%
67.5%
30.4% 29.0%
32.2% 31.3%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
Immigrants Hispanics Blacks (non-
Hispanic)
Whites (non-
Hispanic)
Percent of US Population Percent of Transit Market

10. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Core riders: Zero vehicle households
American Community Survey 2005-2009 5-year data, Table S0802
36.0%
26.0%
22.4% 21.0%
31.1%
36.6%
30.3%
33.7%
32.8% 37.4% 47.2% 45.3%
4.3%
6.7%
2.8%
6.6%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
National Boston Minneapolis SF/ Oakland
Public Transportation Users Distribution by Vehicle
Ownership
2+ vehicles available
1 vehicle available
No vehicle available
MSA No vehicle available

11. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Core riders: Renters
American Community Survey 2005-2009 5-year data, Table S0802
29.8% 30.8%
21.7%
41.1%
58.6%
54.9%
45.7%
58.1%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
National Boston Minneapolis SF/ Oakland
Percent Renters
MSA Average Public Transportation Average

12. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Residential density and
average daily VMT have a very
strong curvilinear relationship.
At a certain threshold
(approximately 10 households
per acre), driving drops
dramatically. There is very little
variation along the curve,
suggesting that density is one
of the strongest predictors of
VMT that we analyzed.
Relationship of residential density
and VMT

13. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
The relationship
between percentage or
renters and average
daily VMT is generally
strongly negative: the
higher the proportion of
renters, the lower the
average daily household
VMT.
Relationship of proportion of
renters and VMT
Average
Daily
VMTper
Household
Percentage of renters

14. The eTOD Score rating
system

15. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Transit
Availability, quality, connectivity,
and use of public transit
Orientation
Demographic and socioeconomic
orientation toward transit usage
Development
Presence of existing transit-
oriented development with higher
densities and mix of uses
Components of eTOD Score

16. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
First Dimension: Transit
Metric Measure
Transit
Transit Accessibility Transit Access Shed Index (TAS)
Transit Connectivity Transit Connectivity Index (TCI)
Transit Use
Percentage of workers who use
transit, bike, or walk to work

17. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Second Dimension: Oriented
Metric Measure
Orientation
Transit Dependency Percentage of 0-car households
Lower Income
Percent households with income
<$25,000
Rental Housing Percentage renters
Affordability
Percent of income spent on
transportation

18. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Third Dimension: Development
Metric Measure
Development
Walkability WalkScore®
Residential Density Households per residential acre
Employment Gravity Employment gravity measure

19. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Final list of eTOD Score attributes

20. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
eTOD Score Ranges
eTOD Score Range
Mean VMT per day
per household
Description
41+ 21.3 Transit-Oriented
31-40 27.6 Transit-Supportive
21-30 36.5 Transit-Related
0-20 58.5 Transit-Adjacent

21. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
eTOD Score examples

22. Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Using eTOD Score

23. As a “think and do” tank, the Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban
and Regional Policy is equally committed to producing state-of-the-art
applied research and implementing effective policies and practices based
on that research. The Center’s collaborative research and problem-
solving model uses powerful data analysis, multidisciplinary research and
evaluation techniques and a policy-driven perspective to address critical
challenges facing urban areas.
A region’s economy and livability depend on the ability of the
transportation system to provide access to opportunity, support economic
growth and anchor sustainable development patterns. The Dukakis
Center's work on Researching Equitable and Sustainable Transportation
(ReSET) focuses on transportation equity, sustainable transportation,
equitable transit-oriented development and transportation finance.
Policy Focus Areas:
• Transportation
• Economic
Development
• Housing
• Labor/Workforce
Northeastern University
Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy
Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy
Northeastern University
310 Renaissance Park
360 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 373-7870
www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
A “Think and Do” Tank
Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter
Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy  www.northeastern.edu/dukakiscenter