A study of the factors that affect the cost of using public transit

1. UNFAIR FARE? A study of the factors that affect the cost of using public transit By Roslyn B. and Yolen B-K

2. Introduction How many people use public transit at least once a week? How many people feel transit fare in Brampton is unreasonable?

3. Our Hypothesis • People would be more likely to use public transit in cities with higher populations • Highly populated cities would also have lower transit fares • The higher the average income of the city, the more expensive transit fare would be

4. Comparing population to percentage of people who use public transit • The correlation coefficient is 0.84, a strong positive correlation. This proves our hypothesis that as the population of a city increases, so will the percentage of people who use public transit.

5. Comparing population to transit fare– Canadian cities This graph compares population (in ten thousands) to high school student cash fare in some mid-size Canadian cities. The correlation coefficient is about 0.01, a very weak positive correlation. Clearly, the population of a city does not affect transit fares, which disproves our hypothesis.

6. Comparing population to transit fare– American cities This graph compares population (in ten thousands) to high school student cash fare in the American cities we studied. The correlation coefficient is about 0.18, a weak positive correlation. The population of a city does not have a significant effect on transit fares, which disproves our hypothesis.

7. Comparing population to transit fare– American cities This graph compares population (in ten thousands) to high school student cash fare in the American cities we studied. The correlation coefficient is about 0.18, a weak positive correlation. The population of a city does not have a significant effect on transit fares, which disproves our hypothesis.

8. Comparing median household income to cash fares– American cities This graph compares median household income in some American cities to high school student cash fares. The correlation coefficient was 0.01, a very weak positive correlation. This means that household income has no effect on cash fares for American high school students.

9. Comparing median household income to cash fares– Canadian cities This graph compares median household income in some Canadian cities to high school student cash fares. The correlation coefficient was 0.40 a moderate positive correlation. This means that household income may sometimes affect public transit fares for Canadian high school students.

10. Comparing transit fares in Canada to transit fares in the United States From looking at this graph, it’s easy to tell that Canadian transit fares are significantly higher than American transit fares. The Canadians in the cities studied made, on average, about one and a quarter what the Americans did. However, a Canadian high school student would end up paying significantly higher transit fares than their American counterparts.

11. Comparing transit fares in Canada to transit fares in the United States This graph depicts average transit fares for adults and students in Canada, and the United States. Both Canadian adults and high school students can expect to pay more than double what the Americans would. .

12. What do YOU think?