NADTC's Transportation Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Final Report Released
Earlier today, the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center released the report of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Transportation Survey, the purpose of which was to document the needs and experiences of older adults, younger adults with disabilities and caregivers from historically marginalized and underserved communities. A total of 2,435 older adults, younger adults with disabilities and caregivers from every state and Washington DC responded to the survey, which was conducted between February and April 2021.

The survey helps paint a picture of the needs, experiences and barriers that older adults, younger adults with disabilities and caregivers who are African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Native American, and other ethnicities may face on a daily basis—needs that in many cases have been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Access to safe, affordable and reliable transportation is critical, particularly for older adults and people with disabilities. Transportation serves as a connection to much-needed services that help enable independent living, including medical appointments, grocery shopping, visits with family and friends and more. But for many, as the survey shows, a lack of transportation that meets their needs is a barrier to community participation. 

As its next step, NADTC will begin conducting focus groups with older adults, younger adults with disabilities and caregivers to dig deeper into the concerns identified in the survey and will also convene transportation, aging and disability programs across the U.S for dialogue. The survey data is a rich resource that can be mined further to build a broad knowledge base of the lived experiences of specific marginalized and underserved communities. At the same time, we will be looking for opportunities and good practices from the field that may light the way to better transportation for all.

NADTC’s National Advisory Committee on Transportation Diversity consists of organizations that represent the diversity of older adults, younger adults with disabilities and caregivers in the U.S., guided development of the survey and assisted with outreach in all corners of the country.

STAY CONNECTED:
National Aging and Disability Transportation Center 
 Washington, DC 
contact@nadtc.org | 866.983.3222 
The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center is a program funded by the Federal Transit Administration and administered by Easterseals and USAging with guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living.