Transportation Inequities and School Choice: How Car, Public Transit, and School Bus Access Affect Families’ Options

Abstract

This study examines how the student transportation options available to families affect which schools are accessible to them in a choice-based setting. The study has two parts. First, we compare commute times by foot, public transit, school bus, and car. We show that providing school bus service reduces commute times and improves access for families without cars, but access to a car fundamentally shapes families’ options. Second, we explore the relationship between neighborhood-level measures of vehicle access and families’ school requests and placements. Car access is strongly associated with school requests and placements even after accounting for neighborhood characteristics. We consider car access as a pathway by which wealth disparities produce educational disparities in settings that emphasize school choice.