SamTrans Board Adopts Mobility Plan for Older Adults and People with Disabilities
The San Mateo County Transit District Board of Directors adopted the SamTrans Mobility Plan for Older Adults and People with Disabilities as an update to the 2006 Senior Mobility Action Plan.
The new Mobility Plan updates the seven overarching strategies from 2006, and recommends 11 potential programs related to them. The strategies include: County-wide Mobility Management; Leverage Private On-demand Transportation Services; Community Transit; Community-based Transportation Services; Encourage the use of Transit: Promote Safe Driving; and Active Transportation and Access to Bus Stops.
San Mateo County’s senior population is expected to grow more than 70 percent over the next 20 years with more adults living in areas of the County that are difficult to serve with traditional fixed-route transit. Additionally, the Transit District is currently experiencing increasing costs for providing paratransit services, a trend that is not sustainable in the long-term.
The 11 programs associated with the mobility strategies, for short-, medium- and long-term solutions include:
- Establishing a Mobility Management Center this fall that will provide transportation information and assistance through a call center and website.
- Developing a Taxi Fare Subsidy Pilot Program & strategies for increasing wheelchair-accessible taxis.
- Improving coordination and information sharing.
- Implementing a Subsidized Ridesourcing Program with telephone booking.
- Improving and increasing awareness of SamTrans’ Mobility Ambassador and Veteran’s Mobility Corps Program.
- Creating older adult walking groups.
- Creating safe routes to transit for older adults and people with disabilities.
- Improving coordination with local driver safety instruction and continue to provide safe driver information.
- Providing a Mobile Accessible Travel Training Bus.
- Expanding community-based transportation services.
- Establishing flexible-route community transit service.
