CityLab Daily: U.S. Cities Test Effects of ‘Universal Basic Mobility’
Also today: D.C. extends program diverting mental health calls from police, and Biden plan funds new bridges that locals may not want.
Oakland is one of several cities piloting programs that subsidize transit and e-bike access for targeted groups of residents.
Photographer: San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst N/Hearst NewspapersFor many young people in the U.S., the lack of access to transportation remains a barrier to employment and education. Several cities like Bakersfield, California — which has one of the highest rates of youth disconnection — are now piloting “universal basic mobility” programs that subsidize bus rides and shared bike and scooter services for low-income residents and vulnerable youth. Increased mobility could help not only job seekers but also employers struggling with the current labor shortage, Laura Bliss reports.
But car-centric cities and unreliable public transportation could limit the benefits of these pilots. At the same time, the programs could shed light on how bikes and scooters can also be good public transit alternatives. Today on CityLab: Like Basic Income, But for Transportation