"Act now, not tomorrow." Understanding & addressing perceived safety risks on public transit in Metro Vancouver

This study examines the public's perceived risk of violent crime on public transit in Metro Vancouver. Despite stable transit violent crime rates, there is growing distrust in the veracity of safety on TransLink services, challenging urban mobility and public safety objectives. Using qualitative interviews to understand the intersectional factors affecting perceived safety, this project investigates what contributes to this disparity between perceived and actual safety, exploring individual's experiences, the presence of transit officials, and the social context's impact on commuter choices. Key factors influence safety perceptions, including individual experiences on transit, the time and location of transit use, overlapping social issues, and the visibility of TransLink personnel. Fear of victimization is unevenly distributed, and significantly affects and is associated with marginalized groups. Through multi-criteria analysis, and academic and government officials interview insights, I propose transit safety policies that enhance environmental design and address social issues.