An investigation into the potential use of information and communication technologies by trip-deprived older adults in New Jersey

Devajyoti Deka and Chihuangji Wang

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 2024, vol. 188, issue C

Abstract: Past studies show that trip deprivation or unmet mobility adversely affects older adults’ objective and subjective well-being. Researchers are optimistic that new trip-enhancing technologies (e.g., ridehailing and autonomous vehicles) and trip-substituting information and communication technologies (ICTs) could potentially reduce those impacts. Against that backdrop, this paper compares ICT access and use among trip-deprived (TD) and non-trip-deprived (NTD) older adults of New Jersey by analyzing survey data from 2357 respondents. The data were analyzed by logit models, propensity score matching (PSM), and χ2 tests. Logit models showed that certain characteristics of the TD are similar to the characteristics of the ICT non-users (e.g., people with low income and disability). The PSM analysis, which generated a matched dataset of an equal number of TD and NTD older adults, showed that the TD have lower access to computers with internet but equal access to smartphones. The results showed that the only ICT that is used more by the TD than the NTD is ridehailing. The TD were not found to use trip-substituting ICTs like online shopping, online banking, videoconferencing, etc., more than the NTD. Emphasizing that transportation improvements remain important in light of the results, χ2 tests were undertaken to compare the improvements recommended by the two groups. The paper recommends the separation of the TD and the NTD for planning purposes, collection of trip deprivation data by transportation planning agencies, and the consideration of ICT use by the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility at the federal level.

Keywords: ICT; Propensity score; Trip-deprived; Older adult; Ridehailing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856424002477
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:transa:v:188:y:2024:i:c:s0965856424002477

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/supportfaq.cws_home/regional
https://shop.elsevie ... _01_ooc_1&version=01

DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2024.104199

Access Statistics for this article

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice is currently edited by John (J.M.) Rose

More articles in Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().