Sustainable Special Transportation Services for the Elderly and Disabled in an Aged Society

Abstract

Many current trends strongly indicate the necessity to provide for special transportation needs. To begin with, more people are driving later in life than previously, and the average life span is increasing. Other trends include the rapid growth in the older population, the increasing number of older people living in suburbs with limited transportation alternatives, the increasing reliance on non-institutional care, and the decline in the relevance of public mass transport occurring in suburban and rural areas. The Japanese government has suffered from chronic budget deficits and has had to pursue deregulation and decentralization. Therefore, local governments need to play an important role in providing transportation services in local areas. However, they do not have enough revenue to provide such transportation services and subsidize non-profit organizations that provide special transportation services. Without sufficient resources, non-profit organizations cannot manage sustainable services. With a lack of suitable transport options, the elderly and other society members who do not drive will stop going out and participating in activities.