Transit apps are cost-efficient strategies to facilitate transit use. This study is the first systematic review that synthesises the literature on these apps’ end-user benefits. We identified limitations in the existing knowledge in terms of study methods, population, and scopes. This review offers insights to guide researchers and policymakers to unlock the potential of transit apps in promoting the use and experience of public transit. We conducted the literature searches in August 2020, covering studies published between 2010 and 2020 from TRID, Compendex, Business Source Ultimate Ebsco, and Acad Search Ultimate Ebsco. Articles were screened and reviewed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. In total, 13 out of 3,812 articles met our pre-specified eligibility criteria. We identified key user benefits in three domains: perception and psychological changes, time savings on trips, and travel behaviour changes. These studies found that smartphone transit apps may improve the perceived reliability of transit services, increase perceived safety, reduce anxiety while waiting, and build a positive image of transit. Also, transit apps could help users reduce wait time at transit stops. Studies further reported that smartphone transit apps have the potential to boost ridership. After critically assessing the articles, we recommended future studies to improve study designs, adjust study populations, and expand study scopes. First, future studies about travel behaviour impacts would need to adopt more rigorous study designs and methods. Second, more studies about infrequent riders and non-riders are needed. Third, current studies have not paid enough attention to the important subgroup of captive riders, such as riders in rural areas who rely on infrequent and unreliable transit services. Fourth, more empirical evidence is needed to quantify the impacts of public sector transit apps. Trip planning and mobile ticketing functions of transit apps are overlooked. Fifth, the established theoretical framework about travel behaviours and emerging technologies could serve as solid theoretical bases and would need to be integrated into future research designs.

This review provides a comprehensive and critical examination of quantitative evidence on the connection between neighborhood environments and older adults’ social outcomes. A search across four databases identified 32 studies, which revealed six domains of planning and environmental strategies (e.g., neighborhood safety, housing, transportation, and land uses) important for older adults’ social well-being outcomes. Some studies further suggested variations in environmental predictors of older adults’ social outcomes based on age, gender, living arrangement, health, or urbanicity. Further research should explore readily implementable policy and environmental interventions to reduce isolation and adapt these interventions to diverse populations and communities/settings worldwide.

Public transportation is an essential component of building sustainable communities. However, its ridership remains low in most cities in the United States. Among the major barriers is the long distance to the bus stops, called the first-mile problem. Using a stated preference survey among 1056 residents of El Paso, Texas, this study addresses this problem by estimating additional transit trips that can be expected from the implementation of hypothetical, free shuttles between one’s home and the closest bus stops. Participants reported 7.73 additional transit trips per week (469% increase from the current baseline), including 3.03 additional trips for work, 1.94 for daily errands, 1.64 for leisure or social, and 0.93 for exercise or sports. The percentage of transit non-users dropped from 77.6% (baseline) to 38.2%. With the free shuttle service, respondents would favor bus rapid transit more than regular buses (4.72 vs. 3.00 additional trips). Residents identifying as an existing transit user, being Hispanic/Latino, owning at least one automobile, living within 1 mile of a transit stop, and feeling safe while riding the bus would make significantly more transit trips due to the service. This study suggests that programs to address/reduce the first-mile problem could increase transit demand and, therefore, contribute to creating sustainable and more connected communities.