Citation

Popper RJ, Notess CB, Zapata RN. Transp. Res. Rec. 1976; 618: 1-6.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1976, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Regional planning agencies have become increasingly aware of the transportation needs of the rural elderly. A promising solution to some of these problems has been the development of a rural special service transit system that gives elderly persons who lack means of transportation access to crucial social services. A preliminary, important step in planning such systems is estimating demands; unfortunately little demand information is available to aid in making such decisions as selection of vehicles, routing, and scheduling. This paper examines the demand for transportation services for the elderly and presents techniques for approximating travel demands.

METHODS based on attitudinal surveys, comparative trip rates, and participation frequencies illustrate that the best estimates currently possible are based on average travel behavior. Further, such methods only approximate the many factors affecting demand. Data monitoring to formulate an economic demand model, which would account for the significant variations of behavior, is suggested by this study as a relevant future research activity.