Some segments of society face certain challenges to mobility that others in the general population do not. In the transportation arena, special populations can include immigrants, racial or ethnic groups, older people, and people with disabilities. IMR’s current research is examining special populations’ travel patterns to see what can be done to remove any mobility barriers they may face and to enhance their mobility.  IMR’s past projects in this area explored extending safe travel for older people.  

The number of older Americans will increase dramatically over the next few decades as baby boomers age and better health care and prevention continue to increase longevity. By 2029, there will be about 70 million citizens over the age of 65, almost double the current population. Many might find it increasingly difficult to drive as they get older; therefore, it is important to have other means of transportation available to this growing number of aging Americans. To address these transportation needs, many state and federal agencies have begun to implement policies and protocols to improve transportation opportunities for older people and to educate them about existing transit options.

The travel behavior of immigrants and other diverse racial/ethnic groups may be different than those of residents born in the United States.  Significant changes in California’s demographics over the last ten years and the influx of foreign-born Californians make it critical to look more closely at their travel patterns to investigate any special transportation needs they may have and how to meet these needs.  This research will be valuable to transportation planners by providing them with demographic-specific information to assist them in more efficiently distributing limited transportation resources.

Researchers at IMR have teamed with Nissan in a four-year research effort to explore methods of improving older mobility. TSRC is investigating the feasibility of implementing a pilot carsharing program into the Rossmoor Senior Adult Community in Walnut Creek, California, using Nissan’s electric Leaf and ITS technology. The pilot project would station a number of Nissan Leafs in the Rossmoor community and train residents in the carsharing system and electric vehicles. The electric Leafs would be equipped with telematics instrumentation that would record vehicle performance, energy use, and travel patterns, which TSRC would use to evaluate the environmental and business performance.

Researchers at IMR have conducted two studies on safe auto and transit use for older travelers at the Rossmoor Retirement Center in Walnut Creek, California. Rossmoor is approximately two miles from downtown Walnut Creek and two and a half miles from the BART station. The complementary focus of each study (i.e., driving vs. transit use) led to synergistic insights that benefited both studies. The number of senior communities is on the rise in California and residents in these types of communities may have distinct travel patterns and needs.