California Partners for Advanced Transportation Technology

This study examined the potential of advanced information systems to increase the mobility of disabled travelers using public transportation. A stated preference survey inquired as to whether subjects would make more trips by transit, paratransit, and/or real-time paratransit if kiosk, on-board, in-home, and/or personal information systems were available. The results show that these systems do have the potential to increase the use of public transportation by disabled travelers, as they allow for more trip flexibility that what is currently available. Regression and log-linear models show that transit users and those without cars are more likely to use transit if advanced systems were available. Wheelchair users are less likely than non-wheelchair users to use transit with advanced systems. KEY WORDS transit, paratransit, real-time paratransit, disabled travelers, ITS, transit information systems, mobility