  Studies show that psychological effects are among one of the top concerns for
public transportation users. While many Americans spend a significant portion
of their time in public transportation spaces, the impact of the design and
maintenance of these spaces on user well-being has not been fully studied. In
this study, we conducted a survey to better understand the effect of
implementing different designs on people's well-being and perceptual metrics
(N=304). Participants were presented with six images depicting different cabin
configurations, including (1) the current version of the cabin space, (2) a
low-maintenance version, (3) an aesthetically enhanced version, (4) a bike
rack-enabled version, (5) a version with an added workspace, and (6) an
improved version with biophilic design. After viewing each image, participants'
well-being metrics (e.g., stress, and emotion) and their public transportation
perception metrics (e.g., perceptions of safety, and reasonable cost) were
evaluated. Our results from linear mixed-effect modeling indicated that adding
functional amenities and biophilic design elements led to an overall
enhancement in well-being and perceptual metrics. Conversely, low maintenance
worsened all measured well-being. This research lays the ground for developing
human-centered public transportation spaces that can lead to an increase in
public transportation adoption.
