EURO 2025 Leeds
Abstract Submission

2881. Addressing Transport Poverty in Austria: Exploring Coping Strategies, System Dynamics, and Policy Leverage Points

Invited abstract in session WB-50: Systems Thinking 4, stream Systems Thinking.

Wednesday, 10:30-12:00
Room: Parkinson B11

Authors (first author is the speaker)

1. Olivia Gold
Institute for Transport Studies, BOKU University Vienna, Austria
2. Paul Pfaffenbichler
BOKU University
3. Astrid Gühnemann
Institute for Transport Studies, BOKU University

Abstract

Inadequate transport options reduce access to essential services such as employment opportunities, education and healthcare, and increases social exclusion. Long commutes contribute to time poverty, increased stress and challenges in balancing work and social life. Addressing transport poverty is essential to achieving equity by ensuring fair access to opportunities. Transport poverty is characterised by a constellation of interrelated challenges, including the adequate transport options, travel times, safety concerns, and financial burdens. Existing studies lack qualitative insights into the commuting challenges faced by vulnerable groups. Additional data is needed to fill this gap. Therefore, this study combines a qualitative approach with system dynamics to provide actionable insights for reducing transport poverty in Austria. Semi-structured interviews provided qualitative insights into commuting challenges and coping strategies. Vulnerable groups, including migrants with limited language skills, single parents, and those at risk of time poverty due to long commutes, were recruited for this study. The data was analysed using qualitative content analysis and will be examined for themes, key variables, causal relationships, feedback loops and time lags, resulting in a set of CLDs, which will be combined with Meadows’ systems thinking framework, to identify feedback loops, causal relationships, and systemic leverage points for policy intervention.

Keywords

Status: accepted

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