Travel Behaviors of the Transportation-Disabled Population and Impacts of Alternate Transit Choices: A Trip Data Analysis of the Handitran Paratransit Service in Arlington, TX

The growing number of disabled and senior citizens in the United States encourages cities to provide this population with paratransit services. This study explores the travel patterns of a paratransit service while considering the age-based trip characteristics of riders. We utilize a paratransit trip data set specialized for seniors and people with disabilities in the City of Arlington, TX. While a small number of eligible users take most trips, the ridership is significantly higher in adults under 65 years of age. Younger users mostly ride paratransit service for work/school trips, while older adults have a higher tendency for medical and recreational trips. Older adults tend to have fewer and shorter trips with a different temporal pattern than younger users. The results suggest that the availability of alternative modes negatively influences paratransit usage. This study could also be useful for future AV planners seeking to predict individuals’ travel patterns of the proposed AV service.