Improving mobility: Evaluating demand responsive transport (DRT) services for retirement communities in Santa Clara County, California

We address alternatives in local transportation service offerings to members of retirement communities. A continuing policy dialogue on serving the transportation needs of our retirement-aged citizens has directed attention to demand-responsive services. Our design measures contemporaneous effects of the contrast between fixed schedule (Fixed) service and demand-responsive transport (DRT) on the use of public transportation in retirement communities of Santa Clara County, California, that are closely matched in demographic profiles of residents and geographic location. We supplement the between-subject measure of public transportation usage under the fixed schedule and DRT service offerings with a measure of travel-related subjective well-being (STS) as a within-subject variable for the four most recent trips of respondents. Our results indicate that the community with DRT service had significantly higher public transportation usage and STS ratings than the community with fixed service schedules. Evaluations of the service provider (VTA) from DRT community members trended higher but were not significantly different across each item measured in the scale. As we indicate, these results support methodological refinements and policy dialogue on the benefits of DRT relative to its costs under efficient scheduling.