Senior Transportation Options on Cape Cod A Presentation By The Partnership Between: PIA Senior Transportation Sub-Committee Senior Mobility Initiative on Cape Cod (SMICC) December 15, 2008 SMICC is an independent, grassroots citizen initiative dedicated to assuring appropriate mobility options for Cape Codders age 65+

Today’s Presentation Review of Prior Senior Driving Presentation Four Sections: Survey Question #8 (see handout) Service Type? Vehicle Type? Driver Type? Payment Type? 2. Three Best “Solution” Patterns Emerged 3. Who Would Use These Best “Solutions” 4. Next Steps (Education)

Review Prior Slide Show Senior Driving Presentation: Nov. 17th Senior/Elder Population Growth Transportation vs. Aging: Driving Ability Passenger Ability Senior Drivers Self-Limiting Drivers Non-Drivers

What Are The Best Senior Transportation Options? Cape Cod Senior Transportation Survey Data collected in Fall 2007/Winter 2008 Collected Lots of Demographic Data About Seniors, Plus Driving and Non-Driving Info Question #8 Focused on What is Best Mode of Transportation For The Respondent Question #8 Has Four Parts: - Type of Service - Type of Vehicle - Type of Driver - Type of Payment

Definitions Four Types of Transportation Service: “Fixed-Route” Service Passenger waits at a bus stop “Curb-to-Curb” Service Passenger waits on the sidewalk “Door-to-Door” Service Passenger waits outside their door (porch, steps, etc.) “Door-Through-Door” Service Passenger waits inside their door (living room, kitchen, etc.)

Definitions (cont’ed) Four Types of Vehicle: Car Normal sedan-sized automobile Bus Full Sized Public Transit or Mini-Bus (B-Bus size) Van 6 – 9-passenger van (with or without wheelchair lift) Taxi Standard taxi cab

Definitions (cont’ed) Four Driver Types: Escort Drives vehicle AND accompanies senior/elder Spouse, Family Member, or Friend Trusted person Paid Driver Employee: Public transit, van service, or taxi firm Volunteer Driver Person who may be unknown to the senior/elder

Definitions (cont’ed) Four Types of Payment Scheme: Flat Fee Fixed fare, predictable (known in advance) Free No payment required (subsidized) Senior Discount Percent discount off normal fare Volunteer Donation Unspecified $ amount donated to the driver

Survey Question #8 Asks Senior/Elder To Select: BEST Service Type BEST Vehicle Type BEST Driver Type BEST Payment Type Those That Would BEST Fit Respondent’s CURRENT Transportation Needs We Then Matched Their Answers With the Respondents’ Demographic Profile

RESULTS (Valid, Statistically-Significant Responses) Three “Solution” Patterns Emerged: Door-To-Door “Solution” Fixed-Route “Solution” Door-Through-Door “Solution”

1. Door-To-Door “Solution” What Would Best Satisfy Current Door-To-Door Requirement? Vehicle Type: Car or Van Driver Type: Spouse/Family/Friend or Volunteer Driver Payment Type: Free or Voluntary Donation

Door-To-Door “Solution” Respondents’ Profile - More Likely To Be: Female From Mid-Cape In Poorer Health Report Being Disabled Have Annual Income Under $15,000 Have Ltd His/Her Driving or Stopped Driving Travels to Fairly Small Number of Destinations Reports No Transportation Problems Reports Quite a Bit of Transportation-Related Isolation

Door-To-Door Variant - Van Those Who Prefer a VAN - Likely To Be: Under Age 75, and Particularly, Ages 70-74 From Lower/Outer-Cape In Poorest of Health Often Disabled Have Very Low Annual Income (under $10,000) Non-Driver Travel to Fairly Large Number of Destinations Report More Transportation Problems (but Slight) Report Severe Transportation-Related Isolation

Door-To-Door Variant- Car Those Who Prefer a CAR - Likely To Be: The Oldest Old, and Particularly, Age 75+ and Age 85+ From Mid-Cape Have Mid-Range Annual Income (under $30,000) Drive a Car, But May Limit Their Driving Travel to Fairly Small Number of Destinations Report Serious Transportation Problems Report Very Severe Transportation-Related Isolation

2. Fixed-Route “Solution” What Would Best Satisfy Current Fixed-Route Requirement? Vehicle Type: Bus Driver Type: Paid Driver Payment Type: Senior Discount

Fixed-Route “Solution” Respondents’ Profile - More Likely To Be: Male From Lower/Outer-Cape Under Age 75 In Good-Excellent Health Have Higher Annual Income ($15,000 - $60,000) Drive a Car Travels to Fairly Large Number of Destinations Reports Only a Slight Transportation Problem Reports Only a Small Bit of Transportation-Related Isolation

3. Door-Through-Door “Solution” What Would Best Satisfy Current Door-Through-Door Requirement? Vehicle Type: Car Driver Type: Spouse/Family Member or Friend Payment Type: Free or Voluntary Donation

Door-Thru-Door “Solution” Respondents’ Profile - More Likely To Be: Too Small a Sample Size to Profile

Recap Door-To-Door: Fixed-Route: Car or Van Spouse/Family/Friend Free or Donation Fixed-Route: Bus Paid Driver Senior Discount - Male - Under Age 75 - Healthy - Higher Income - Car Drivers - More Destinations - Little Isolation - Female - Age 70+ - Poorer Health - Lower Income - Ltd Driving or Stopped - Fewer Destinations - Considerable Isolation

Next Steps Replicate Survey on Larger Scale: Get Larger Sample Size More Precise Findings (more responses) Update Findings Report Redistribute Survey in Jan.-Mar. 2009 ISSUE: Need at Least $500 for Postage and Printing. Donations ???

Next Steps Education Around Transportation “Solutions” That BEST Fit Seniors’ Needs Public Officials: Local County State Transportation Service Providers Seniors Themselves Greater Cape Cod Community (general public)

Q & A