Exploring the causal impact of transit fare exemptions on older adults’ travel behavior: Evidence from the Seoul metropolitan area

Eun Jin Shin

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 2021, vol. 149, issue C, 319-338

Abstract: This study examines how a transportation policy enabling free subway travel for older adults affects their travel behavior. It improves upon previous research by identifying the causal effects of a fare-free transit policy for older adults on a wider range of travel behavior. Using a regression discontinuity research design, this study investigates how eligibility for fare-free subway rides (the age-65 threshold) influences travel behavior among older adults in the Seoul metropolitan area, South Korea. The results show that the fare-free subway policy for older adults increases the number of subway trips, which partly replaces trips by other transportation modes. Specifically, a discrete jump in the number of subway trips at age 65 replaces some auto trips and contributes to a significant reduction in household vehicle ownership. However, eligibility for the subway fare exemption has no statistically significant effects on outcomes related to social/leisure trips, although it does have varying impact on active travel by the level of household income. In addition to offering valuable lessons for cities with a similar policy, the findings of this study inform current debates on the fare-free subway policy in South Korea.

Keywords: Fare-free transit; Transit subsidy; Regression discontinuity; Causality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2021.05.007

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