More older adults are living longer, healthier, and participate more in their communities. With this trend, increasing transportation options for older adults will increase their independent mobility and overall quality of life.

Snapshot of Older Adults

• Persons aged 65 and older are the fastest growing segment of our population.

• The number of older Americans is expected to double to 70 million by 2030.
  
  
• As America’s “baby-boomers” age, the over-65 age group will grow at a rate nearly four times faster than the population as a whole in the two decades from 2010 to 2030.
  
  
• In 2000, most persons 65 and older lived in metropolitan areas (77.5%). About 50% of older persons lived in the suburbs, 27% lived in central cities, and 23% lived in rural areas.
  
  
• The number of older persons making trips is rapidly increasing, as are the frequency of their trips and the distance traveled.
  
  
• Two-thirds of older adults who ceased driving say it was because of physical impairments.
  
  
• One-third of older adults who do not drive rely on family and friends for their transportation.

Working Together

The U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on January 9, 2003 to assist their respective networks in the coordination of transportation services for older adults and to facilitate access to these services by older adults.

Together, FTA and AoA have developed and are currently beginning to implement the calendar year 2003 action plan. The action plan includes:

• Leveraging available resources at the local, state, and federal levels.
  
  
• Conducting regional workshops and technical assistance to assist state and local agencies with increasing collaboration and partnerships.
  
  
• Implementing technologies that can provide opportunities to coordinate services, scheduling, and billing processes.
  
  
• Helping older adults and their families understand how to use and access their transportation options.

Moving Forward

In order to enhance transportation options, the following objectives need to be addressed:

• Better coordination of resources (funding, expertise, services, etc.).
  
  
• Addressing the service gaps between state and local transportation systems.
  
  
• Helping older adults recognize and use their transportation options.
  
  
• Developing creative and flexible designs for transportation services.
  
  
• Utilizing technology (such as Intelligent Transportation Systems) to enhance transportation services and coordination.

To provide your input into the planning and development of senior transportation services contact your local Area Agency on Aging or senior transportation providers. You can identify contacts in your community through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or http://www.eldercare.gov.

For More Information

Working in close partnership with its sister agencies in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the AoA is the official Federal agency dedicated to policy development, planning and the delivery of supportive home and community-based services to older persons and their caregivers. The AoA works through the national aging network of 56 State Units on Aging, 655 Area Agencies on Aging, 236 Tribal and Native organizations representing 300 American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal organizations, and two organizations serving Native Hawaiians, plus thousands of service providers, adult care centers, caregivers, and volunteers. For more information about the AoA, please contact:

U.S. Administration on Aging
Department of Health and Human Services
Washington, DC 20201