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Description: As America’s fastest growing demographic group, older adults could be an increasing segment of transit riders. The number of people age 65+ is projected to reach 72 million by 2030; and over 20% of people age 65+ do not drive. Elder-friendly public transit could play a key role on helping grow transit ridership while sustaining older adults’ mobility, quality of life, and community independence.
Based on research and best practice examples, this intermediate-level interactive session will address elder-friendly marketing/outreach, service design/delivery, training, and customer information. Mobility is key to healthy aging — but to get on the bus (or train, light rail, trolley, etc.) older riders need to feel welcomed. This course is designed to help build the capacity of transit professionals to implement and adapt service strategies targeted to reaching older riders, cultivate transit use among older riders, and to expose participants to promising and innovative practices in the field of senior mobility.
Audience: Transportation professionals with mid-level and above experience who play a role in developing, delivering, marketing or planning services for customers of all ages and abilities including: public transit agency professionals; 5310 sub-recipients; ADA paratransit providers, human services transportation providers; aging organization professionals; Veterans Administration employees; Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) service providers and others.
Objectives: Participants will be able to identify opportunities to make transit services in their area more inclusive and welcoming to older riders. Increasing ridership among older adults can help mitigate increasing demand for ADA paratransit services, support economic development strategies that include retaining residents as they age in a community, improve access to health and other supportive services, and position public transportation as a valued community asset for residents of ALL ages.
Through five modules, participants will learn:
- How to identify age discrimination and ageism in the public transit environment
- How to see the value of senior mobility and understand the costs of social isolation
- How to foster elder-friendly customer interactions, outreach, and service delivery
- How enhancing senior mobility efforts can complement ADA compliance efforts
- Articulating the business case for attracting and retaining older riders
- How to identify and engage older riders, across a spectrum of abilities
- Best Practices: innovative and elder-friendly fixed route transit services delivering positive impact
Length: 4 Hours
CEU: 0.40
Contact:
Myrna Sirleaf
msirleaf@nti.rutgers.edu