UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies

This study identifies equity challenges in current transportation payment systems, specifically for transit, parking,and vehicle tolls. The methodology included comprehensive literature reviews, an inventory of 49 global transitsystems, seven case studies, and expert interviews to assess payment accessibility, technical rules,interoperability, and user privacy.The study found that current systems disproportionately burden low-income, unbanked, and disabled usersthrough high complexity and lack of cash-equivalent options. To mitigate this, the report recommends designingand deploying a California Mobility Card (CMC). The CMC would be a reloadable, prepaid transportation cardoperating on an existing, widespread payment network, offering cash-equivalent anonymity, seamless crosssystemtravel, and automatic access to discounts like fare capping.