Will Ride-Hailing Enhance Mobility for Older Adults? A California Survey [supporting dataset]

Shirgaokar, Manish; Agrawal, Asha Weinstein; Misra, Aditi; Wachs, Martin; Dobbs, Bonnie M. · 2020 · ROSA P / University Transportation Centers Program (U.S.)

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Summary

This study investigates whether ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Lyft, can enhance mobility for older adults in California, addressing concerns about social and economic isolation among those who cannot drive due to health or financial constraints. The research aims to determine how older Californians currently use these services and assess the potential for ride-hailing to meet their transportation needs in the coming decade. The motivation stems from the growing aging population and the need for viable mobility alternatives beyond private vehicle ownership. The researchers conducted an online survey of 2,917 California adults aged 55 and older. This age range was selected to capture both current seniors (65+) and those approaching senior status (55–64). The survey focused on internet users and explored several key areas: current usage of ride-hailing, comfort levels with service features that might act as barriers, interest in potential new features designed to improve safety, accessibility, and payment options, and reasons for using or not using the service. The study also collected data on factors hypothesized to influence behavior, including internet usage and online banking habits. Key findings reveal that 44% of respondents aged 65 and older had experienced ride-hailing, while 27% had personally booked a ride via phone or app. The study identified specific service features that appealed to large numbers of current and future seniors, notably drivers trained to assist older passengers and payment options using ride-hailing cards not linked to bank accounts or credit cards. Contrary to expectations, the analysis found fewer large variations in ride-hailing behavior and attitudes based on personal characteristics such as gender, age, and regular technology use. However, significant differences emerged across population subgroups, particularly regarding income, education level, community type (urban versus rural), and the use of public transit. The significance of this research lies in its identification of specific barriers and preferences among older adults, providing actionable insights for service providers and policymakers. By highlighting the importance of assisted driving features and alternative payment methods, the study suggests how ride-hailing services can be adapted to better serve this demographic. Furthermore, the findings underscore that socioeconomic factors and geographic location are more critical determinants of ride-hailing adoption than age or general tech-savviness, implying that targeted interventions may be necessary to ensure equitable mobility access for older adults across different communities.

Key finding

Among surveyed Californians 65 and older, 44% had experienced ride-hailing and 27% had booked a ride themselves, with seniors most drawn to drivers trained to assist older passengers and a payment card not linked to a bank account.

Methodology

survey

Sample size: 2917

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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• older drivers

Information type

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• Methodological Resource: dataset resource