Travel patterns of American adults with disabilities

1. Travel patterns of American adults with disabilities Stephen Brumbaugh U.S. Department of Transportation

2. Key takeaways • People with disabilities make fewer trips and travel by personal vehicle less often than people without disabilities. • People with disabilities who live in rural areas have additional differences in travel behavior. • Technology may help people with disability-related transportation issues, but people with disabilities use related technologies less often.

3. 2017 National Household Travel Survey • Primary source of data on household travel behavior in the United States • Information on people reporting “travel-limiting disabilities” • 25.5 million Americans • 13.4 million Americans age 18–64 • Limited questions on technology • No information on adaptive equipment or automated vehicle use

4. The percentage of people reporting disabilities increases with age.

5. 1. People with disabilities make fewer trips and travel by personal vehicle less often.

6. People with disabilities (18–64) are more likely to live inzero-vehicle households.

7. People with disabilities (18–64) make fewer trips for all types except medical and dental.

8. People with disabilities (18–64) travel by personal vehicle less often and travel as passengers more often.

9. People with disabilities (18–64) compensate for travel issues in various ways, but often just travel less.

10. 2. People with disabilities who live in rural areas have additional differences in travel behavior.

11. People with disabilities (18–64) take shorter-distance trips, but the travel times are not shorter.

12. 3. Technology may help people with disability-related transportation issues, but people with disabilities use certain technologies less often.

13. How may technology may help people with disability-related transportation issues? • Technology can offer substitutes for trips—for example, by allowing people to work remotely or shop online. • Technology can connect people to paratransit and ride-hailing services. • Autonomous vehicle and other technologies may help people travel who otherwise could not.

14. People with disabilities (18–64) use technology less often and are more likely to live in low-income households.

15. New research will give additional insights into the travel behavior of people with disabilities.

16. New research would allow us to examine important topics not covered elsewhere. • Difficulties people have getting the transportation they need • Trips that people do not take • Vehicles modified with adaptive devices or equipment • Circumstances that would lead people to give up driving

17. Key takeaways • People with disabilities make fewer trips and travel by personal vehicle less often than people without disabilities. • People with disabilities who live in rural areas have additional differences in travel behavior. • Technology may help people with disability-related transportation issues, but people with disabilities use certain technologies less often.

18. Contact Stephen Brumbaugh, Economiststephen.brumbaugh@dot.gov Produced under the direction of Stephanie LawrenceJoy SharpMichael Sprung Special thanks Theresa FirestineMindy LiuClara Reschovsky U.S. Department of Transportation