Search results

In 2010, the authors published a model of older people’s travel and mobility needs in the Quality of Ageing and Older Adults journal (Musselwhite and Haddad, 2010b). The model comprises three levels, practical (the need to get from A to B as quickly, cheaply and efficiently as possible), psychosocial (the need for independence, control and status) and aesthetic needs (the need for travel for its own sake), all which need to be fulfilled to achieve wellbeing and quality of life. Since then, the model has been translated into different languages and been cited 119 times across different formats. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Using ten years of analysing feedback that includes articles that cited the model, discussions with academics, policy makers and practitioners as well as from older people themselves, this paper reflects on the original model.

Five key themes are generated from the re-examination: the validity of the model; the utility and usefulness of needs in understanding travel behaviour and turning them into policy or practice; application of the model to different contexts; understanding the relationship between travel needs and health and wellbeing; and fitting the model to future changes in transport and social policy.

This reflection on this well-cited and well-used model allows a re-adjustment of the model, updating it to be used in conjunction with policy and practice, especially highlighting the need to further distinguish mobility for aesthetic needs.

The population of older people in the ‘western world’ is increasing both in number, as well a percentage of the overall population. Changes in lifestyle as a result of increased longevity and better health and social care mean that older people are being mobile later on in their life than ever before. This qualitative study adopts an iterative and grounded theory approach to eliciting and generating the travel needs of older drivers through in-depth qualitative research with 26 older car drivers and 31 ex-car drivers. The findings suggest three levels of travel needs, these being; practical, psychosocial and aesthetic. At a primary level, practical needs encompass day-to-day, functional and utilitarian travel needs. The secondary level, psychosocial needs, include a sense of control and independence, enhancing status and defining (personal and social) roles. The tertiary level are aesthetic needs, such as travel for pleasure and for enjoyment. Psychosocial and aesthetic needs are less obvious to the participants themselves, but arguably are of equal importance as practical needs. However, less provision is made for older people in meeting these needs when they give-up driving. This has implications for design of travel services for older people: highlighting the importance to place emphasis not only on practical aspects of travel, but also on meeting psychosocial and aesthetic needs.

Despite women comprising around 50 per cent of the UK population and workforce, they only account for 20 per cent of workers in the transport sector. This chapter focusses on the key issues for women working in transport and explores how government policy and industry initiatives can support improving gender balance within the transport industry workforce. The chapter presents the findings of recent research examining experiences of women working in transport, and perceptions of men – which seeks to better understand culture, career opportunities, and (perceived) gender issues within the transport sector. It also presents case studies of successful initiatives that have been implemented to address gender (im)balance in transport organisations. Drawing on these findings, the chapter provides evidence-based recommendations, that have been presented to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Women in Transport in the UK and evaluates the role of government in enacting meaningful change to improve gender balance in the transport industry.

The ageing process impact negatively on driving ability and behaviour, increasing the likelihood of accidents. Traditionally, research tends to have been top-down and as such misses the needs, motivations and attitudes of the drivers themselves. This research worked in-depth with a small number of older drivers using a grounded theory approach to elicit their needs and requirements with regards to the driving task. It identified a number of issues that previous research had highlighted, including shortened reaction times, increased fatigue and problems with glare but in addition emphasised some novel issues, including maintaining the vehicle speed at a consistent level and issues with distraction. The role new technology has in meeting such needs is briefly discussed.

Older people today are more active and more mobile than previous generations. However, they continue to suffer a reduction in quality of life when giving up driving. This article reports research carried out to identify the role of mobility and accessibility in older people's self‐reported quality of life, through an in‐depth examination of older people's travel needs. A wholly qualitative approach, utilising a variety of data collection methods including focus groups, interviews and diary completion, was employed with 57 people aged over 65 in the UK, of which 26 were drivers and 31 had recently given up driving. The findings emphasise the importance of mobility for accessing services and shops. However, the reasons why older people travel and the importance of mobility go beyond accessibility to include the desire for independence, control, maintaining status, inclusion, ‘normalness’ and travel for its own sake. All these are related to an individual's perception of quality of life. When older people give up driving, their self‐reported quality of life is reduced and this seems very much related to a reduction in affective and aesthetic qualities of mobility that a car affords that walking and using public transport lack. It is suggested that policy and practice needs to consider such motives for travel.

This chapter introduces the scope and contents of Women, Work and Transport. The situation concerning the extent of women’s participation in the transport workforce worldwide is detailed and the challenges facing women transport workers in different world regions and transport modes is highlighted. The chapter describes the structure, contents and key contributions of each of the 21 chapters that are presented in this volume and signposts readers to key material. Although the chapter necessarily highlights some of the many challenges women face when working in highly masculine cultures, this wide-ranging international collection of evidence of the experiences of women transport professionals in both the Global North and Global South also provides numerous suggestions for how employers, governments and trade unions can address, and ultimately overcome, gender segregation in transport. The chapters acknowledge the dramatic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the transport sector, while also pointing to some of the opportunities provided by new greener forms of transport and automation, as well as noting the risks for women workers.