Fully Subsidized Public Transit and Nontraditional Work Arrangements: Evidence from Philadelphia
Grant Type
Early Career Research Award
Publication Date
3-30-2026
Description
Transit costs can present a financial hardship to low-income populations, hindering access to employment and social services. Yet transportation assistance is an underdeveloped part of the social safety net. This project evaluates a large randomized control trial studying how eliminating public transit fares affects employment outcomes, with particular attention to nontraditional work arrangements (e.g. employment models that differ from the standard 9-to-5, full-time, in-office job) and wage distribution. I leverage a zero-fare transit program in Philadelphia that provided fully subsidized transit passes to low-income residents. I examine whether improved transportation access increases labor force participation, shifts workers out of contract, gig, or other nontraditional employment, and affects the distribution of earnings. By linking survey data with administrative employment and earnings records, the project provides policy-relevant evidence on how transit subsidies interact with the labor market. The findings will inform employment and workforce policy debates concerning transportation access, job quality, and income volatility among low-income workers.