Through this research, NJ TRANSIT sought to understand how women and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer plus community, sometimes referred to as sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) travel on NJ TRANSIT so the agency can provide better accommodations for all customers, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The objective of this study was to explore the travel behavior and experiences of public transit users in New Jersey and to understand the relationship between travel experiences, perceptions of safety, gender, and sexual orientation. The hypothesis is that women and SGMs have different travel behaviors and experiences than men and that women and SGMs are more likely to have concerns about safety and security while using NJ TRANSIT. To achieve this objective, the research team conducted a comprehensive literature review and peer agency interviews to assess the state of knowledge on this topic and to document how other agencies are addressing the needs and concerns of women and SGMs using public transit. The research team also conducted a statewide travel behavior survey and six focus groups with NJ TRANSIT customers.

Results show that that there are differences in how women and SGMs use NJ TRANSIT services and that SGMs, particularly transgender/gender non-conforming persons, were disproportionately likely to have safety and security concerns, and to have experienced harassment while using NJ TRANSIT services. The research further found that the vast majority of harassment incidents (84 percent) go unreported and that SGMs were less likely to trust authorities when reporting a harassment incident compared to other populations. When controlled for other variables, these differences were generally not explained by differences in race and income. NJ TRANSIT mode also played some role in perceptions and experiences safety and harassment, with light rail users being more likely to report having safety/security concerns or having been harassed/assaulted while using transit compared to users of other modes. This may be due to the fact that light rail operations are conducted on an honor system, generally with fewer NJ TRANSIT employees present during service hours.