EVALUATION OF ELDERLY MOBILITY BASED ON TRANSIT CARD DATA IN SEOUL
Abstract
We analyzed the travel patterns of senior citizens in Seoul using Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) data. We focused specifically on mode choices and transfer patterns. Results showed that 99% of trips made by senior citizens (individuals over 65 years old), who were given free subway transit passes, consisted of single-mode trips. Average travel time was 31 minutes, and subway travel times were longer than bus travel times. Individuals made fewer transfers, took longer metro trips, and paid smaller fares when using their free subway transit cards. They were more negatively sensitive to bus travel time than metro travel time. Encouraging older adult travelers to use transfers that increase costs to a modest extent might help improve travel quality among a group of individuals who find it difficult to enter the metro system or who are uncomfortable making inter-metro transfers. Additionally, as older adults have more time, yet are economically disadvantaged and take more leisure trips, travel improvements could include adopting a time-flexible fare discount. We discuss these improvements in terms of the individual and social benefits afforded to transit passengers in South Korea.
References
United Nations, World Population Prospects: The 2008 Population Data Base. 2009.
Rosenbloom S. Sustainability and automobility among the elderly: An international assessment. Transportation. 2001; 28:375-408.
Golob T, Hensher D. The trip chaining activity of Sydney residents: A cross-section assessment by age group with a focus on seniors. J Transp Geogr. 2007; 15(4):298-312.
Morency C, Paez A, Rooeda MJ, Mercado R, Farber S. Distance traveled in three Canadian cities: Spatial analysis from the perspective of vulnerable population segments. J Transp Geogr. 2011; 19:39-50.
Mercado R, Paez A. Determinants of distance traveled with a focus on the elderly: A multilevel analysis in the Hamilton CMA, Canada. J Transp Geogr. 2009; 17:65-76.
Schmocker JD, Quddus MA, Noland RB, Bell MGH. Estimating trip generation of the elderly and disabled: An analysis of London data. Proc. TRB 84th Annual Meeting. 2005.
Paez A, Scott D, Potoglou D, Kanaroglou P, Newbold KB. Elderly mobility: Demographic and spatial analysis of trip making in the Hamilton CMA, Canada. Urban Stud. 2007; 44:123.
Taken M. Mobility of the elderly in time and space in the Netherlands: An analysis of the Dutch National Travel Survey. Transportation. 1998; 25:379-393.
Kim S., Analysis of elderly mobility by structural equation modeling. Tranport Res Record. 2003; 1854:81-89
Alsnih R, Hensher DA. The mobility and accessibility expectations of seniors in an aging population. Tranport Res Part A. 2003; 37:903-916.
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Act on the Enhancement of the Travel Convenience of the Transportation Vulnerable. Seoul: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. 2009.
van den Berg P, Arentze T, Timmermans H. Estimating social travel demand of senior citizens in the Netherlands. J Transp Geogr. 2011; 19:323-331.
Schmocker JD, Quddus MA, Noland RB, Bell MGH. Mode choice of older and disabled people: A case study of shopping trips in London. J Transp Geogr. 2008; 16:257-267.
Korean Statistical Information Service [Internet]. Seoul: Korea National Statistical office; 2011 [last modified 2012]. Available from: http://kosis.kr
Annual transit plan [Internet]. Seoul: Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit; 2013 [updated 2014]. Available from: http://www.smrt.co.kr
Statistical year book of Railroad [Internet]. Dea-Jeon: Korail; 2008-2013. Available from: http://www.korail.com
Annual transit plan [Internet]. Seoul: Seoul Metro; 2012. Available from: http://www.seoulmetro.co.kr
Transit execution plan [Internet]. Gwang-Ju: Gwang-Ju Metropolitan Transit cooperation; 2011. Available from: www.gwangjusubway.co.kr
The execution plan of public transportation [Internet]. Gwang-Ju: Gwang-Ju City Government; 2011 [last modified 2012]. Available from: www.gwangju.go.kr
Noh S, Joh C. Travel pattern difference between the elderly and the younger adults in Seoul Metropolitan Area. Geogr J Korea. 2009; 43(3):293-306.
Ben-Akiva M, Lerman S. Discrete choice analysis: Theory and application to travel demand. Cambridge: MIT Press; 1985.
Ben-Akiva M, Bierlaire M. Discrete choice methods and their applications to short-term travel decisions. In: R. Hall, editor. Handbook of transportation science. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers; 1999, pp. 5-34.
Cascetta E. Transportation systems engineering: Theory and methods. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers; 2001.
Zhang Y, Xe Y. Travel mode choice modeling with support vector machines. Tranport Res Rec. 2008; 2076:141-150.
Wena C, Wang W, Fu C. Latent class nested logit model for analyzing high-speed rail access mode choice. Tranport Res Part E. 2012; 48:545-554.
Si B, Zhong M, Liu J. Development of a transfer-cost based passenger flow assignment model for Beijing Rail Transit Network using automated fare collection data. Proc. TRB 90th Annual Meeting. 2011; 11:2237.
Wai Yuen Szeto, Ryan Cheuk Pong Wong, Sze Chun Wong, Hai Yang. A time-dependent logit-based taxi customer-search model. International Journal of Urban Sciences. 2013; 17:2, 184-198.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
