There is an illusion of choice when choosing a mode of mobility. There is an unequal desire to use the various options of transportation, cornering students into the few realistic choices they can use to move. These options of mobility are forced upon students by situations and systems. Because of a lack of real choice, using alternative modes of mobility requires significant and unique motives.

Friction between modes of transit influences propensity of use. The time spent between transit modes or how long it takes to transition from one to another can heavily influence adoption.

Students like public spaces that support and comfort them like access to shade and benches/tables. Functional affordances are favored more than art, the next popular characteristic of desirable spaces.

There’s an attitude of “only if I have to” when it comes to taking public transit in Austin. Students have a preference to take what’s easiest and familiar to them. Dealing with lots of environmental and transit system disruptions is too much of an effort to go outside of their norms. Regarding public transit, 74% of students who took our surveys felt that when using transit other than a car, they’ll only “use it if they can’t drive”. Compared to 14% saying they love it. The rest of the comments were either indifferent to whichever mode or felt transit was inaccessible/uncomfortable.

Students are already problem-solving their commutes. Students have unique journeys in their commute filled with techniques, short cuts, or routes that make it easier for them to deal with friction. This can look like taking unpaved shortcut routes, using garage elevators to go up hills, or standing behind bus stops for shade. When late, their plans shift to more expensive and faster methods while also making riskier choices for crossing streets to beat the clock.

While students have a desire to explore more of Austin, their unfamiliarity with modes of transit and assumptions about obstacles they might encounter dissuade them from making a trip.

In our survey data, there was not a strong intrinsic motivator to choose public transit to get to a destination. The main motivators were usually environmental frictions, needing to be on time, and having few options.

For students, using transit often requires a motive beyond the current mobility system’s offerings. The aim of being sustainable, the action of trying not to use a car as much as possible (personal angst or desired focus on something else), that owning a car is too expensive or too much of a hassle to store, the identity of being a cyclist.

How might we increase students’ mobility awareness, skills, and confidence on and beyond campus?

How might we develop a better waiting experience (while waiting for a bus, or even crossing a street) to encourage an enjoyable and joyful journey and minimize stress?

How might we inspire motivation in students to learn alternative modes of transportation to gain access to places and events that build Austin culture and ultimately, develop an alternative-transportation culture?

How might we take advantage of the ways students are “hacking” their commutes to create a path of least resistance, ultimately finding the most effective route?