Research on Older Adults’ Mobility (ROAM) 2025
Hosted by Alycia Bayne, MPA
Alycia Bayne, MPA is the Associate Director of the Public Health Research Department at NORC at the University of Chicago. She is a public health researcher and evaluator with nearly 20 years of experience conducting research for the federal government, foundations, and associations. Bayne directs a portfolio of work exploring the intersection of transportation and health. She led a study for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on older adults' use of ride share services. For the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Bayne has led projects focused on drowsy driving countermeasures and evidence-based traffic safety campaigns. She developed a rural transportation toolkit for the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Bayne is Chair of the Subcommittee on Older Drivers for the Transportation Research Board. She is also the Chair of the Healthy New Jersey 2030 Advisory Council, which sets the health promotion targets for the state of New Jersey. She has a Master in Public Affairs and a certificate in health and health policy from Princeton University.
Connecting Community Transportation: Lessons Learned from Transactional Data Specification Demonstration Projects
Ms. Jana Lynott
Human services transportation typically takes the form of what is called Demand-Responsive Transportation (DRT) — services that do not follow fixed routes or schedules. DRT services are critical for people who cannot drive or access regular public transportation, but they are often fragmented. There may be multiple providers in a given region, but each may operate in a silo, leading to duplicative services and denials of trip requests.
The Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC), with support from AARP Public Policy Institute, published "Connecting Community Transportation: Lessons Learned from Transactional Data Specification Demonstration Projects," a research report on Transactional Data Specification (TDS) and its role in facilitating coordinated DRT. This report discusses key takeaways from demonstration projects from around the U.S. and outlines additional coordination opportunities, such as with providers of non-emergency medical transportation. The report highlights how TDS can help DRT providers interoperate their services and enhance customer access to transportation.
In addition to the research report, there is an accompanying Roadmap for TDS Implementation, which offers key considerations and steps for planning, designing, and implementing the TDS. These projects emanate from TRB's Report 210: Development of Transactional Data Specifications for Demand-Responsive Transportation, published in 2020. SUMC's publication can be found online.
Does Older Adults’ Self-Regulation of Driving Improve Safety?
Ms. Ansley Kasha
Self-regulation is the act or process of modifying one’s driving in response to an awareness of one’s declining abilities. Two common forms are (1) strategic self-regulation, or decisions made prior to one’s actual driving, and (2) tactical self-regulation, decisions made while driving in response to circumstances of the environment. Rapid Deceleration Events (RDEs), commonly known as hard braking events, are used as a proxy for unsafe driving. The present study assessed the relationship between strategic and tactical self-regulation of driving and RDEs and self-reported crashes. It was hypothesized that increasing levels of self-regulation would be associated with fewer RDEs and self-reported crashes.
National-Level Characteristics of Paratransit Riders
Dr. Shayna Gleason
Information on the characteristics of paratransit riders can help paratransit services better tailor service models to their users’ needs and understand which populations are not currently being served by paratransit but might have transportation needs. However, to date there has been no national-level analysis of paratransit users’ characteristics. This study addressed this knowledge gap by providing an overarching picture of the characteristics of paratransit riders. The research question for this study was: What individual- and household-level characteristics are associated with use of paratransit? Data from the 2017 iteration of the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) were used to answer the research question, with supplementary data drawn from the American Community Survey (ACS) 2015 five-year estimates.
This study drew upon two conceptual frameworks: the Requirements-Opportunities-Abilities Model and Bayne and colleagues’ (2021) socio-ecological model for older adults’ use of ride share services. The associations between self-reported use of paratransit and relevant individual, household, and regional characteristics were examined using binary and multinomial logistic regression. Taken together, the results suggested support for the hypothesis of social disadvantage predicting use of paratransit, though only for some characteristics. The results provide a preliminary picture of the characteristics of paratransit users. Future research may investigate in greater detail some of the more complex findings—for example, the relationships between socioeconomic status, education, and use of paratransit services.
Illuminating the Path: Addressing Nighttime Pedestrian Crashes and Older Adults’ Mobility Challenges
Dr. Jeffery Muttart
Nighttime pedestrian crashes are a serious safety issue, especially for older adults who face increased risks due to slower walking speeds and reduced mobility. Analysis of 2021-2022 FARS data shows 54% of pedestrian fatalities occur in low-light conditions, with most at mid-block locations and on arterial roadways with some “lighting”. Darkly clothed pedestrians require 20 lux of illumination for recognition, yet many roadways and vehicle lighting systems fail to meet this threshold, leaving pedestrians inadequately visible. Certain vehicle models exhibit higher night-to-day fatal crash ratios, often linked to subpar headlight performance. While design standards exist, there is limited oversight to ensure performance in real-world conditions. These disparities highlight the need for targeted data collection and practical interventions to improve safety. This presentation emphasizes simple, actionable solutions. Recommendations include integrating specific metrics into crash investigations, such as roadway illumination levels, headlight types, and retro reflective safety clothing assessments. These steps are feasible using widely available tools and provide critical insights into crash conditions. Improving lighting standards is another key focus. Promoting higher-quality headlights and optimizing streetlight placement to eliminate dark spots can significantly enhance pedestrian visibility. By addressing these gaps, we can better protect vulnerable populations, particularly older adults. This session calls for collaboration among policymakers, crash investigators, and designers to implement these straightforward improvements, paving the way for safer roadways and more effective crash prevention strategies.