Uncovering physical activity tradeoffs in transportation policy: A spatial agent-based model of Bogotá, Colombia

Abstract

Background: Transportation policies can impact health outcomes while simultaneously promoting social equity and environmental sustainability. We developed an agent-based model (ABM) to simulate the impacts of fare subsidies and congestion taxes on commuter decision-making and travel patterns. We report effects on mode share, travel time and transport-related physical activity (PA), including the variability of effects by socioeconomic strata (SES), and the tradeoffs that may need to be considered in the implementation of these policies in a context with high levels of necessity-based physical activity. Methods: The ABM design was informed by local stakeholder engagement. The demographic and spatial characteristics of the in-silico city, and its residents, were informed by local surveys and empirical studies. We used ridership and travel time data from the 2019 Bogota Household Travel Survey to calibrate and validate the model by SES. We then explored the impacts of fare subsidy and congestion tax policy scenarios. Results: Our baseline model reproduced commuting patterns observed in Bogotá. Its outputs were also robust to sensitivity analyses. At the city-level, congestion taxes fractionally reduced car use, including among mid-to-high SES groups but not among low SES commuters. Neither travel times, or physical activity levels were impacted at the city-level or by SES. Comparatively, fare subsidies promoted city-level public transit (PT) ridership, particularly under a ‘free-fare’ scenario, largely through reductions in walking trips. ‘Free fare’ policies also led to a large reduction in very long walking times, and an overall reduction in the commuting-based attainment of physical activity guidelines. Differential effects were observed by SES, with free fares promoting PT ridership primarily among low-and-middle SES groups. These shifts to PT reduced median walking times among all SES groups, particularly low-SES groups. Moreover, the proportion of low-to-mid SES commuters meeting weekly physical activity recommendations decreased under the free fare policy, with no change observed among high-SES groups. Conclusions: Transport policies can differentially impact SES-level disparities in necessity-based walking and travel times. Understanding these impacts is critical in shaping transportation policies that balance the dual aims of reducing SES-level disparities in travel time (and time poverty) and the promotion of choice-based physical activity.