Travel behaviour change in old age: the role of critical incidents in public transport

Catherine Sundling (), Mats E. Nilsson (), Sara Hellqvist (), Leslie R. Pendrill (), Ragne Emardson () and Birgitta Berglund ()
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Catherine Sundling: Stockholm University
Mats E. Nilsson: Stockholm University
Sara Hellqvist: Stockholm University
Leslie R. Pendrill: SP–Technical Research Institute of Sweden
Ragne Emardson: SP–Technical Research Institute of Sweden
Birgitta Berglund: Stockholm University

European Journal of Ageing, 2016, vol. 13, issue 1, No 8, 75-83

Abstract: Abstract Older people’s travel behaviour is affected by negative or positive critical incidents in the public transport environment. With the objective of identifying such incidents during whole trips and examining how travel behaviour had changed, we have conducted in-depth interviews with 30 participants aged 65–91 years in the County of Stockholm, Sweden. Out of 469 incidents identified, 77 were reported to have resulted in travel behaviour change, 67 of them in a negative way. Most critical incidents were encountered in the physical environment on-board vehicles and at stations/stops as well as in pricing/ticketing. The findings show that more personal assistance, better driving behaviour, and swift maintenance of elevators and escalators are key facilitators that would improve predictability in travelling and enhance vulnerable older travellers’ feeling of security. The results demonstrate the benefit of involving different groups of end users in future planning and design, such that transport systems would meet the various needs of its end users.

Keywords: Older people; Travel behaviour; Public transport; Critical incidents; Qualitative research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10433-015-0358-8

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