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SamTrans > News Archive > Conference Addresses Senior Transportation Needs
Conference Addresses Senior Transportation Needs
It’s no secret that as people age their driving habits change. Some people stop driving
at night; others decide to only drive “in town;” and, ultimately, many need to give up
driving all together. That reality, coupled with a projected 80 percent increase in the
number of seniors in San Mateo County in the next 15 years, has mobilized community
representatives to address the mobility challenges facing seniors.
Representatives of senior organizations and transportation agencies and elected
officials met recently to kick off the San Mateo County Senior Mobility Action Plan.
Funded by a grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Caltrans and
spear-headed by SamTrans, the newly-formed group is tasked with developing a range of
transportation options for seniors who no longer drive.
The conference reflects the American Public Transportation Association’s focus on senior
transportation issues. The international trade organization, of which SamTrans is a
member, recently launched a campaign to encourage transit systems to make public
transportation more accessible for older people.
Attendees at the conference learned that older drivers tend to be safe drivers. They
are more likely to use seat belts and less likely to drink and drive. However, in an
accident, seniors are most at risk for injury and death.
Even if they are not driving, seniors face transportation challenges -- 54 percent of
those who are unable to drive also have health conditions that prevent them from using
public transportation. And, seniors account for twice as many pedestrian fatalities.
As a result, seniors tend to travel less than young people. Statistics show that not
only do they stop going out for social and recreational purposes, but as people age,
they also stop going to medical appointments. "We can analyze statistics and look at
population and age projections, but what we're really talking about is making sure that
the older members of our communities continue to have a high quality-of-life," said San
Mateo County Supervisor and SamTrans board member Adrienne J. Tissier.
Next steps for the committee include a public outreach campaign to raise awareness and
gather input from the community. “There's a lot of work that's already been done that
tells us about the issues,” said David Koffman, a consultant working with the committee.
“Now we need to figure out how to implement these ideas. We're going to be talking to
community groups, senior centers, city commissions and anyone else who's interested to
find out what things they think are important.” The campaign will begin this fall.
Comments gathered during the public outreach process, together with existing programs
and plans, will be used to develop an action plan, which is slated for completion next
spring.
6/23/05
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