There has been significant work on transportation equity over the past 40 years, often prioritizing quantitative and modelling approaches. In contrast, this study draws on research on lived experiences, with a focus on equity-deserving groups. We find that the lived experiences of equity-deserving groups are well documented, in both the academic literature, and in work by community-based organizations, non-profits and advocacy groups. Four cross-cutting themes were observed across equity-deserving groups: poor or absent transit service; unaffordability of transit fares; policing and enforcement; and safety. The research demonstrated that poor and unaffordable transit impacts equity-deserving groups in wide-ranging ways, such as restricting access to healthcare, education and employment; limiting support for people experiencing domestic violence; and, reducing the ability of people to access social services, visit with family and friends, and participate in cultural activities.