The impact of transportation on the employment of people with disabilities: a scoping review

Abstract

Although many barriers remain to the employment of people with disabilities, public transportation can play a key role for integration and retention of people with disabilities in employment. However, research is needed to better understand how public transportation influences access to work for people with disabilities. This study aims to identify public transportation-related barriers and facilitators to the employment of people living with disabilities. A scoping review approach was adopted, with a keyword search through six databases. Studies’ characteristics, transportation barriers, and facilitators to employment of people with disabilities were extracted from the selected articles. The results were presented descriptively and narratively. In total, 74 studies were included. Barriers and facilitators were grouped under four themes: (1) public transportation, (2) employment, (3) personal factors, and (4) social network. This review highlights the key role of public transportation in accessing and maintaining employment for people with disabilities. It also reveals gaps in the literature and a need to investigate the issue through the lens of employers, public transportation services, and social environmental facilitators.