Spatial Information Research, cilt.31, sa.5, ss.487-500, 2023 (ESCI)
Access to urban public transportation services is crucial for all city residents. Undoubtedly, more efficient public transportation services should be provided for the needy ones. The study aims to develop a simple yet efficient analytical approach to spatially determine the urban areas that receive inefficient public transportation services. In this study, the spatial distribution of the efficiency of public transportation and its relation to socioeconomic variables (per capita income level and population density) are examined at the neighborhood in Izmir, Turkey, level using circuity. The results from univariate and bivariate Global and Local Moran’s I analyses reveal that the high-efficiency levels are spatially clustered, Higher-income neighborhoods have better public transportation systems compared to lower-income ones. According to Bivariate Local Moran’s I analyses, among the 348 neighborhoods at least 31 and at most 81 neighborhoods are either in a High-High or Low-Low cluster for the four time periods considered. As for the relationship between circuity and density, at least 21 and at most 75 neighborhoods are a part of a cluster. The fact that there is a significant relationship between the efficiency of public transportation and socioeconomic variables calls for alteration in the planning policies regarding urban public transportation supply. Although the variation in public transport efficiency levels across the neighborhoods can partly be attributed to physical conditions, the city should provide equal accessibility and efficiency regardless of the socio-economic status of the neighborhoods. The findings can well be generalized for cities of similar sizes in developing countries.