Resistance to using public transportation: stigma, classism, and negative perceptions

This conceptual framework illustrates how perceptions of stigma, status, classism, and negative perceptions impact the worldviews of people who grew up in vehicular oriented urban and rural settings and subsequently have resistance to using public transportation in mid-size American cities. I argue that until we address the negative perceptions that the average middle-class American has, people will not consider public transportation as a viable transportation option. I believe that issues related to social sustainability such as the ones outlined above can either help or hinder truly sustainable human behavior in our built environment. Furthermore, numerous studies over the past decade have been done on providing equal opportunity in terms of the transportation disadvantaged such as the disabled, the poor, the elderly, and other under-served populations. The issues of social inclusion and segregation as they relate to public transportation have been studied extensively. However, I maintain that the conceptualization of social inclusion needs to be inclusive of the mainstream and the middle-class user and not be confined solely to a marginalized group of people that contributes to a negative perception of public transportation. The connection between the perception of what it means to use public transportation and the behavior of doing so or not requires more research. Discovering what belief systems and worldviews are behind particular perceptions is necessary. Also necessary is determining outdated and inaccurate perspectives that may accompany these perceptions. Additionally, what contributes to a stigmatized and elitist perception of using public transportation? The design of our built environment “reflects and reinforces the nature of gender, race, and class relations in society” (Kanes-Weisman, 1994). Design can have an impact on our perception of the built environment and hence, impact our behaviors. How do the design, materials and maintenance of the built structures (bus stations, bus stops, bus poles) impact the concept of stigma? How does the lack of a bus shelter or even a bench at a bus stop reinforce an existing stigma and elitist attitude about those who use public transportation? What impact do perceptions about safety and security have on perceptions of using public transportation? What physical qualities of the built environment contribute to this perception and what aspects do we pay particular attention to? How can design and programming decisions be more aligned with perceptions of safety and security issues, as well as image-making? Further studies can be done of American cities where public transportation was more the norm for the middle-class American and successfully implemented. Also, comparisons can be made between cities where using public transportation is embraced without negative perceptions and those where it is not. This conceptualization challenges the general idea that with knowing all the positive aspects and outcomes of using public transportation, that the middle-class American will happily embrace it. This work expands upon existing studies of discriminatory design and highlights the relationship between stigma and the design of our built environment.