Research Reports
Report Details

Title:	Interest in Shared-Use Mobility Services in Tribal Communities
Authors:	Ranjit Godavarthy and Jill Hough
Publication Date:	Dec 2023
TRID #:	01903987
Keywords:	bicycles, paratransit services, ridesharing, rural areas, shared mobility, vehicle sharing
Type:	Research Report

Abstract

Technology-enabled, emerging, shared-use mobility services have significantly transformed the transportation ecosystem in urban communities and are beginning to enter more and more rural communities. Shared-use mobility services such as rideshare, carshare, bikeshare, microtransit, etc., are being proven useful to rural communities, but there is much less literature on the usefulness and applicability of these emerging mobility services to U.S. tribal communities. This study addresses the need to better understand the scope for shared-use mobility services in tribal areas, and identify opportunities and challenges in those areas using a three-pronged approach – an exploratory literature scan, a case study with tribes in eastern Oklahoma, and interviews with tribal community stakeholders from across the nation. Based on findings and observations from these three approaches, microtransit (also referred to as rideshare services) and carshare services seemed to be more favored and more relevant shared-use mobility services available to meet the unique transportation needs of tribal communities.