Lorea Mendiola

Introduction: This study analyzed gender disparities in daily mobility patterns in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, with a focus on the impacts of built environment factors and considering the socioeconomic characteristics of the individuals.Methods: Using data from the 2018 Household Mobility Survey and multilevel regression models, the gender gap in mobility was analyzed with a particular emphasis on work commutes and accompanying trips. The inclusion in the analysis of gender interactions, in particular with transportation and land use factors, is a novel contribution to the field, as it allowed us to analyze in depth the extent to which these factors differentially affect the urban mobility of men and women and could, therefore, contribute to widening or narrowing the gender mobility gap.Results and discussion: Our findings demonstrated that public transport availability and land-use characteristics primarily affect travel time and distance, with gender-differentiated impacts. Women benefited more from improved public transport coverage and diversity, while higher population density, greater self-containment, and higher density of street intersections reduced travel distances and travel times in general, although they affected women’s mobility less. This study underscores the need of integrating gender perspectives into sustainable urban mobility strategies to ensure equitable access to goods and services. However, urban and transport policies alone would be insufficient to reduce the mobility gap, because the results showed that individual socioeconomic characteristics also significantly influence mobility, with women facing greater constraints due to domestic responsibilities or limited access to private vehicles. A comprehensive approach incorporating social measures addressed to mitigate the restrictions that women face is essential to achieving a gender-inclusive mobility.

This study provides empirical evidence on the links between urban development factors and the use of specific modes of transport in commuting in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The case study is of interest because quantitative research on developing countries is scarce and their rapid urban growth and high rates of inequality may generate different results compared to the US or Europe. This relationship was assessed on locality level using regression methods. Spatial econometric techniques were applied to avoid unreliable inferences generated by spatial dependence and to detect the existence of externalities. Furthermore, we include in the model the socio-economic profile of each locality identified using cluster analysis. The findings reveal that population density affects motorised transport, that diversity is relevant for public transport and non-motorised trips, and urban design characteristics affect all modes of transport. Spatial dependence is detected for motorised transport, which may imply the existence of externalities, suggesting the need for coordinated decision-making processes on a metropolitan level. Finally, modal split depends on the socio-economic profile of a locality, which may influence the response to public transport policies. To sum up, these results may be useful when it comes to helping policymakers design integrated public policies on urban and transport planning.