Evaluation of free public transport for older people in Sweden

Tania Dukic Willstrand, Per Henriksson, Helena Svensson and Lena Levin, Proceedings of the 6th Humanist Conference, The Hague, Netherlands, 13-14 June 2018

Older citizens safe mobility is an issue as the number of older people is growing and expect to live longer than previous generations . To keep their independence and to allow them to take part in the society, transport accessibility is an issue to be solved. The present study developed a survey to evaluate a subsidised public transport card for older citizens in the western part of Sweden and how the physical health contributes to the use of public transport . A questionnaire was sent to 1500 older citizens in three municipalities to examine how this measure influenced their travel patterns and whether this is an efficient measure to increase their use of public transport . Results show a significant effect of the senior card which vary depending on the municipality and incomes. Some older citizens increased travelling with public transport ( PT ), they changed the time of the day for some activities and to some extend prioritized PT in another way than before they got the subsidised card . The senior card contributed to shift travel mode choice from private car to PT but also from cycling /walking to PT. To reach a sustainable safe mobility for older citizens, a discussion is on going to find and target measures to this broad group of individuals. Health and environment goals need to be considered to reach the desired results.

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