Will Ride-Hailing Enhance Mobility for Older Adults? A California Survey

Agrawal, Asha Weinstein; Shirgaokar, Manish; Misra, Aditi; Wachs, Martin; Dobbs, Bonnie M. · 2020 · ROSA P / Mineta Transportation Institute

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Summary

This study investigates whether ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Lyft, can effectively enhance mobility for older adults in California. The research was motivated by the growing aging population and the risk of social and economic isolation for seniors who can no longer drive due to health or financial constraints. While ride-hailing offers door-to-door convenience and safety features superior to traditional taxis or public transit, prior research suggested low adoption rates among seniors due to barriers like technology discomfort, safety concerns, and cost. The study aimed to determine the extent of current usage, identify perceived barriers, assess the appeal of potential service improvements, and analyze how sociodemographic factors correlate with ride-hailing behavior. The researchers conducted an online survey of 2,917 California adults aged 55 and older, a range selected to include both current seniors (65+) and soon-to-be seniors (55–64). The sample was recruited via Qualtrics using quota sampling to ensure representativeness of the California population in terms of age, gender, race, ethnicity, employment, and income. The online methodology was chosen because ride-hailing requires internet access, and approximately 86% of older Californians have such access. The questionnaire explored ride-hailing experience, comfort with existing features (e.g., sharing rides, online payment), value placed on potential new features (e.g., trained drivers, alternative payment methods), and reasons for using the service. Key findings indicate that nearly half (46%) of respondents had experienced ride-hailing, and 30% had booked a ride themselves. Usage was not limited to a narrow demographic; while higher-income, educated, urban residents were more likely to use the service, significant portions of other groups also participated. For instance, 20% of respondents in small towns had booked a ride. Most respondents were comfortable with current service features, including riding with unknown drivers (63%) and sharing credit card information (51%). However, respondents expressed strong interest in new features: 70% valued a company helpline, 63% valued booking via a live agent, 60% valued drivers trained to assist older passengers, and 61% supported a ride-hailing card unlinked to bank accounts. Older adults particularly valued ride-hailing for avoiding the need to ask for rides (65%) and for traveling at night (66%). The study concludes that ride-hailing is a viable mobility option for a diverse group of older adults, with approximately 4.1 million Californians aged 55 and older having used the service. The findings suggest that ride-hailing can help seniors maintain social connections and independence, particularly for nighttime travel. To further enhance adoption, providers should consider implementing personalized support, trained drivers, accessible vehicles, and alternative payment options. Policymakers and providers are encouraged to view ride-hailing as a critical component of transportation systems for aging populations, rather than a niche service for the affluent or tech-savvy.

Key finding

44% of California respondents aged 65 and older had experienced ride-hailing, with 60% valuing drivers trained to help older passengers and 61% supporting pre-paid ride-hailing cards unlinked to bank accounts.

Methodology

survey

Sample size: 2917

Provenance

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Topics

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• acceptance adoption