Abstract

In communities like California’s Antelope Valley, caregivers (especially single parents, parents of children with disabilities, and those with limited financial or social support) face significant mobility barriers. Sparse and unreliable public transit, long travel times, and the high cost of driving make it difficult to access healthcare, work, and community resources. These barriers can worsen caregiver exhaustion, distress, and social isolation and contribute to missed healthcare and family support appointments.

Abstract

People living on low incomes often lack affordable and reliable transportation options. These barriers limit access to essential destinations such as medical appointments, school, and jobs. In response, several U.S. cities have tested universal basic mobility wallets that provide flexible transportation funds to low-income residents. In 2023, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority launched one of the largest mobility wallet pilot programs, offering $150 per month to 1,000 participants over the course of a year on prepaid debit cards. Participants could use the monthly stipend to pay for transit, ridehailing, carsharing, car rentals, shared bicycles and scooters, and bicycle purchases.

To understand the impacts of this pilot, the research team compared survey responses over time from people enrolled in the pilot to a similar group who were eligible but not enrolled. This approach enabled them to evaluate how the LA mobility wallet affected participants’ ability to reach essential travel destinations, as well as potential economic and health benefits and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.