Equity refers to the fairness with which impacts (benefits and costs) are distributed. Transportation planning decisions can have large and diverse equity impacts. Evaluating these can be challenging because there are several types of equity and impacts to consider, and various ways to measure them. Horizontal equity assumes that people with similar needs and abilities should be treated equally; vertical equity assumes that disadvantaged groups should receive a greater share of resources. Social justice addresses structural inequities such as racism and sexism. This report provides guidance for transportation equity analysis. It describes various perspectives and impacts, and practical ways to incorporate transportation equity goals into planning.
 
Transportation Equity Analysis Summary (www.vtpi.org/equity.pdf)

Type	Description	Metrics	Optimization Strategies
Horizontal – Fair Share	Each person receives a fair share of public resources	Per capita share of public resources (money, road space, etc.).	Multimodal transport planning. Least-cost funding. Efficient pricing.
Horizontal – External costs	Travellers minimize and compensate for external costs.	Infrastructure costs, congestion, crash risk and pollution that travellers impose on other people.	Minimize and compensate for external costs. Favor resource-efficient modes.
Vertical – Inclusivity	Transportation systems provide basic mobility to disadvantaged groups.	Quality of travel for people with disabilities and other special needs. Disparities between groups.	Favor inclusive modes and accessible community development.
Vertical – Affordability	Lower-income households can afford basic mobility.	Transportation costs relative to incomes. Quality of affordable modes.	Favor affordable modes and housing in high-access areas.
Social Justice	Policies address structural inequities.	Whether organizations address inequities such as racism and classism.	Identify and correct structural inequities. Affirmative action.

This table summarizes transportation equity types, ways to measure them, and optimization strategies.