Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 20, 2022
Subject
SUBJECT: GENDER ACTION PLAN
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE the Metro Gender Action Plan (Attachment A).
Issue
ISSUE
Although women comprise over half of all transit ridership, their mobility needs, concerns, and preferences have not been critically accounted for in the way our transportation systems are planned. The Understanding of How Women Travel (UHWT) study's core findings provided a rich understanding of women's travel needs and the challenges they experience. These findings provided a foundation of knowledge upon which Metro can actively work toward enhancing the quality of the travel experience for women in LA County through the Gender Action Plan (GAP).
Background
BACKGROUND
In 2017, Women & Girls Governing Council (WGGC) was established to eliminate barriers faced by women when using public transportation. In February 2018, the WGGC recommended embarking on the UHWT study to understand more about these issues, to improve women and girls' experiences on Metro, and cultivate more gender-inclusive practices at Metro.
In 2019, the UHWT study analyzed women's travel patterns; identified common barriers and challenges focused on four themes to be explored further by the GAP. The UHWT study found that disaggregated gender data was not collected, making it more difficult to understand patterns of travel or preferences. Results of the UHWT study pointed to findings related to how and when women travel, and their most significant barriers and challenges when traveling on transit. Key findings from that study:
* Women account for a larger share of Metro bus and rail ridership
* Almost 90% of all female riders who use the system, ride more than three days per week.
* 57% of women bring their children on transit.
* Women in Los Angeles are also more likely than men to travel mid-day, with a travel peak around 2 PM when transit s...
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