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Why do the poor travel less? Urban structure, commuting and economic informality in Mexico City

Author

Listed:
  • Manuel Suárez

    (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico)

  • Masanori Murata

    (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico)

  • Javier Delgado Campos

    (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico)

Abstract

While in Mexico City formal jobs are concentrated in the city centre, affordable housing is generally only available in its outer rings. This reduced accessibility to formal employment would suggest that the poor have longer commutes. However, observed travel times show that low-income workers actually have the shortest commutes. Using two linear programming transportation models we found that this is due to the location of informal work activities, which seems to be a function of the residential location of workers involved in the informal sector as a response to the disadvantages of the formal urban structure of jobs and housing that affect the poor.

Suggested Citation

  • Manuel Suárez & Masanori Murata & Javier Delgado Campos, 2016. "Why do the poor travel less? Urban structure, commuting and economic informality in Mexico City," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(12), pages 2548-2566, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:53:y:2016:i:12:p:2548-2566
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098015596925
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Atuesta, Laura H. & Ibarra-Olivo, J. Eduardo & Lozano-Gracia, Nancy & Deichmann, Uwe, 2018. "Access to employment and property values in Mexico," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 142-154.
    2. Guerra, Erick & Caudillo, Camilo & Monkkonen, Paavo & Montejano, Jorge, 2018. "Urban form, transit supply, and travel behavior in Latin America: Evidence from Mexico's 100 largest urban areas," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 98-105.
    3. Moreno-Monroy, Ana I. & Posada, Héctor M., 2018. "The effect of commuting costs and transport subsidies on informality rates," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 99-112.

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