| Abstract: | The relationship between public transit and crime has been extensively investigated for decades. Compared to rail systems, limited research has been conducted on bus transit and its surrounding robbery influence. In particular, most of the studies have focused on either all types of robbery as a whole or street robbery only. Street and off-street robberies have distinct spatial characteristics, however: The former occurs on the street, whereas the latter occurs not on the street but at indoor places or in (semi)public areas. Therefore, they might have different proximity to bus transit. Furthermore, as bus transit is not operated twenty-four hours a day, it is questionable to connect bus transit with robbery when bus transit is not in service. This study uses exploratory spatial data analysis and statistical modeling to compare and contrast street and off-street robberies to discover how their relations with bus transit vary in space and time. Results reveal that both street and off-street robberies decrease as the distance from bus stops increases. Compared to off-street robbery, street robbery is inclined to occur on the street without bus routes and during nonservice hours, respectively. These findings suggest that the preference of street robbery is related to the excess of suitable targets over capable guardians away from bus routes and when bus transit is not in operation, whereas off-street robbery is connected with the residential and commercial attractions along bus routes and people's frequent activities at these places during transit service hours. |
