We love transit here at Jawnt. Except sometimes when it’s nice out, and we prefer to use bikeshare. And sometimes when it’s less nice out, or we need to carry a bunch of stuff with us, and hailing an Uber or Lyft makes more sense in that moment. Having the flexibility to choose the mode that best fits your needs is one of the superpowers that comes with city life. Moving around the world is hard enough - what if we could remove cost as a factor?
This idea is the inspiration for Universal Basic Mobility. Cities, schools, residential developers, healthcare providers, nonprofits, and others with communities to serve have been exploring this concept over the past few years. What if you just give people money for transportation, and let them decide how to spend it? It’s as simple as it sounds, and it’s easier to manage than you might think. Read on to learn how Universal Basic Mobility could support your community.
What is it like to participate in a Universal Basic Mobility program?
Most participants either learn about the program and apply, or are enrolled automatically by their organization. Either way, once they’re enrolled, the logistics are generally the same. Participants:
- Receive a debit card. This could be a physical card for their wallet, or a digital card for their digital (Apple/Google) wallet. Some programs mail the cards to participants’ homes, others distribute them from a launch event in-person.
- Use the card to pay for transportation. Most programs allow the card to be used on transit, ride-hailing, bikeshare, and scooter rentals. Some also include car rentals, bike shops, person-to-person bike purchases.
- Collect new funds on a schedule. Most programs add new funds each month, though others do so quarterly or annually. Some programs put the same amount of funds in each account every month, regardless of how much the participant spends. Other programs top up the account each month to a set amount.
- Can get help when they need it. Cards get lost and need to be replaced. Participants have questions about their balances and program rules. Participants also often have great ideas about how to improve the program for themselves and others. Ongoing communication is key.
How do people change their travel choices with Universal Basic Mobility?
When cost is removed as a factor, how do people actually choose to get around?
A reasonable concern with UBM is that, if cost isn’t a factor, people will always choose the most expensive option. Our streets and parking lots are full enough as it is – why would we want to make it easier to drive?
After years and dozens of UBM programs around the country, we have data to answer that question. Thankfully for our roads and air, it appears that much of the time, transit and biking offer the best transportation experience, regardless of cost.
For example, LA Metro runs one of the biggest UBM programs in the United States. In their first phase, which started in 2023, a thousand South Los Angeles residents received $150 a month to spend on transportation. The program found that yes, most of the funds went to taxis and ride-hailing (83%), but most of the trips were on Metro’s bus and rail (59%).
According to LA Metro, participants still take the bus and train during normal commuting times, and use ride-hailing early in the morning or late at night, when transit service is less frequent or feels less safe.
How to start a Universal Basic Mobility program?
A strong UBM program needs three ingredients to get started:
- A list of eligible participants. Once you know who is going to participate, you can figure out how to best serve them.
- Do they prefer to receive their pass by mail or in person? How will you stay in touch with them?
- What languages do you need to support? What other communication obstacles might they face?
- What transportation modes are they likely to use?
- Program parameters. These are the basic rules of your program, based on your region, transit offerings, and participants.
- How much money will participants receive? How often - monthly, quarterly, annually?
- On which services will they be allowed to spend these funds?
- Are there any other limits to put in place? Maybe ride-hailing is ok, up to a certain number of trips per month. Or bikes purchased through Facebook Marketplace are allowed, if they submit a screenshot of the listing and photo of the purchased bike as receipt for reimbursement.
- A technology vendor. How will participants receive their funds, and how will you ensure the funds are only being spent on allowable expenses?
- If your organization requires a public procurement, check out our recommendations for putting out an RFP for a UBM program.
- Reach out to Jawnt to learn about the Jawnt Pass for Universal Basic Mobility. The Jawnt Pass can support all the cases described above and more.
Additional resources
Want to learn more about Universal Basic Mobility?
- CityFi published this exploration of the history of UBM in more detail.
- This 2024 paper from UC Davis surveys several UBM programs and discusses project design and impact.
- Philadelphia’s Zero Fare Program is the largest UBM program by participant size in the United States, and Jawnt proudly and securely manages their participant data.
- Contact Jawnt to learn more about how the Jawnt Pass could support a UBM program in your community.
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