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The Colour of a Free Ride

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  • Redzo Mujcic
  • Paul Frijters

Abstract

We use a natural field experiment to estimate the causal effect of race on discretionary favours in the marketplace. Test customers are randomly assigned to board public buses with no money to purchase a fare, leaving the bus driver to voluntarily decide whether to offer them a free ride. Based on 1,552 transactions, we uncover strong evidence of racial bias: bus drivers were twice as willing to let white testers ride free as black testers (72% vs. 36% of the time). Signals of wealth and patriotism improve minority testers’ outcomes. Our results show that white privilege extends to unregulated daily interactions.

Suggested Citation

  • Redzo Mujcic & Paul Frijters, 2021. "The Colour of a Free Ride," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 131(634), pages 970-999.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:131:y:2021:i:634:p:970-999.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/ueaa090
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    Cited by:

    1. Halla, Martin & Kah, Christopher & Sausgruber, Rupert, 2021. "Testing for Ethnic Discrimination in Outpatient Health Care: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Germany," Department of Economics Working Paper Series 319, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    2. Robert Dur & Carlos Gomez-Gonzalez & Cornel Nesseler, 2022. "How to reduce discrimination? Evidence from a field experiment in amateur soccer," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-005/VII, Tinbergen Institute.
    3. Joyce Guo & María P. Recalde, 2023. "Overriding in Teams: The Role of Beliefs, Social Image, and Gender," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(4), pages 2239-2262, April.
    4. Siddique, Abu & Vlassopoulos, Michael & Zenou, Yves, 2023. "Market competition and discrimination," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    5. David Crockett, 2022. "Racial Oppression and Racial Projects in Consumer Markets: A Racial Formation Theory Approach [The Ghetto Marketing Life Cycle: A Case of Underachievement]," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 49(1), pages 1-24.

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