Working Group 3

A key measure of the effectiveness of public transportation is how many individuals can access their communities, regardless of age, ability, or even income. In lower and middle-income countries, public transportation is particularly important to maintain employment, although the systems tend to offer only the most basic of services, with limited options in terms of accessibility. For example, an older adult with dementia will have difficulty learning how to use a new system and will be at risk of getting lost and/or confused with navigation. However, in Australia and in Sweden, there are programs that successfully support people with cognitive issues to access public transportation. Given the ageing population around the world, transportation options other than driving have become important across all countries, regardless of their income. For example, some European countries have recently improved accessible boarding of public transport for individuals using mobility devices so they can access all doorways, not just one specific door. These solutions need to be assessed to determine whether they are relevant for other contexts.