Vale, Margarida Maria de Araújo Abreu Vilar de Queirós doCosta, Nuno Manuel Sessarego Marques daVale, David de SousaSilver, Kelli2025-03-122025-03-122024-102024-05http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/99233There has been a growing emphasis on equity and fairness in both public transport research and policy discussions. While transportation planning and research have evolved to incorporate social justice goals, many of these objectives lack clear indicators or universally accepted measures of progress. Planning has traditionally prioritized mobility, but contemporary discourse emphasizes accessibility as key to creating just and sustainable cities. However, prevailing accessibility metrics often overlook both out-of-pocket costs and person-based measures, leading to underestimated inequalities. Public transport fares have direct implications for equity and spatial inequality among transit riders. Yet, these topics have not received intensive examination in existing studies. While some authors have explored transit fare, equity, and social exclusion theoretically, empirical studies that illustrate the real-world relationships between these concepts are scarce. This thesis aims to address these gaps in the literature by evaluating the role of fare costs and socioeconomic and demographic indicators in transport equity assessment. It builds on the existing analytical framework that relates inequality and transportation, as well as methodological frameworks that guide transportation equity measurements. The findings indicate that fare reforms have the potential to mitigate inequalities and enhance overall equity within transportation systems. However, it is crucial to recognize that these reforms may not uniformly benefit all groups, and there is a risk of disproportionate advantages for certain demographics. It is imperative to view fares not in isolation but in conjunction with factors such as income, age, gender, as well as geographical location and availability of public transport supply. Moreover, the research underscores the necessity of refining measurement tools to explicitly incorporate social justice considerations. Hence, prioritizing affordability emerges as a critical focal point for policymakers striving to fulfill their social justice objectives within transportation policy.engEquidade no transporteTransporte públicoPolítica tarifáriaAcessibilidade económicaDesigualdade económicaTransportation equityPublic transportFare policyAffordabilityInequalitydoctoral thesis101626932