DIAL-A-RIDE: THE NEW YORK CITY EXPERIENCE. AN ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR THE ELDERLY

Dial-A-Ride was set up to design, initiate, operate and conduct research on a demonstration low cost car service for the elderly and handicapped to see whether there is a latent demand for such a service among elderly and handicapped; whether providing demand-activated transportation would improve the quality of life for the elderly by improving access to medical and social service facilities and social contacts, and whether such a service, based on group-riding and tied to existing private transportation facilities could become self-supporting. The demonstration area consisted of 2.9 square miles in the north-west Bronx. All elderly 60 and over and ambulatory handicapped 21 and over were eligible for the service. Evaluation of the impact of the system on the social and psychological well-being of program users indicated that although there were problems in service delivery, most users felt the program saved them money and gave them a sense of security. The primary purpose for which the program was used was obtaining medical services. A major implication was that subsidization is necessary for the operation of any model of an alternate transportation system.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Prepared in cooperation with Administration on Aging, Washington, D.C.
• Corporate Authors:

  New York City Office for the Aging

  New York, NY  United States 

  Administration on Aging

  300 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20203
• Authors:
  • Cantor, M H
  • HARRIS, J
  • Rosenthal, K
  • STRATTON, J
  • Shatzkin, K
• Publication Date: 1975-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 197 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Attitudes; Consumer behavior; Demand responsive transportation; Demonstration projects; Expenses; Medical services; Mobility; Paratransit services; Persons with disabilities; Routes; Scheduling; Sociology; Transportation operations; Travel demand; Urban areas; Urban transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Transportation management
• Geographic Terms: New York (New York); New York (State)
• Old TRIS Terms: User reactions
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00136509
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: SRS-93-75148
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 13 1981 12:00AM