Intervention(s)
The experiment has three arms with equal allocation probabilities, randomized at the individual level:
1. The control group, which does not receive any discount on Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) trips
2. The half-off treatment group, which receives a 50% discount on all PRT trips for 12 months
3. The free treatment group, which receives a 100% discount on all PRT trips for 12 months.
Participants are assigned a PRT farecard, called a ConnectCard, that is pre-programmed with the appropriate fare discount level. The ConnectCards for participants in the 0% and 50% subsidy groups contain $10 of preloaded fare value to encourage use of the card. Once this initial $10 balance runs out, participants in the 0% and 50% subsidy groups must load their own fare product onto the card in order to continue using it.
The 50% group ConnectCards automatically apply a 50% discount to any stored cash or timed pass that is loaded onto the card, with the exception of an annual pass. For context, a single PRT ride normally costs $2.75. The 50% subsidy group pays only $1.35 per ride. A 31-day unlimited ride pass normally costs $97.50, and costs $48.75 for the 50% subsidy group. The ConnectCards for the 100% subsidy treatment arm are programmed to allow unlimited free-fare taps on all PRT vehicles. Participants with these free-fare cards do not need to load any cash or timed pass onto the card.