This guide will help users:
- Understand the definition and characteristics of informal urban transit systems or “paratransit.”1
- Recognize the importance of these systems in providing equitable transportation to underserved areas.
- Understand how these systems have evolved in Sub-Saharan African, Latin American, and Asian cities, as well as in developed countries.
- Realize that although there are no global best practices, informal transit systems can be improved by better integration into citywide services.
1 In Sub-Saharan Africa and some other developing countries, informal transit is called “paratransit,” meaning beyond standard transit. In the United States, paratransit refers to demand-responsive services that carry a person, often elderly or disabled, from door-to-door, which are not considered in this learning guide.
