On average, men in the United Statesoutlive their ability to driveby seven years.
Women, who generally live longer than men, survive an additional decade beyond their driving years.
(After years of extensive care the little boy did recover and is now a successful 30-year-old man.)
“Across this country, millions of people are struggling with this unmet need.
The iTN iniTNAmerica stands for Independent Transportation connection.
Or someone can volunteer as a driver and store their transportation credits for their own future needs.
ITNAmericaprovides dignified transportation services to members through more than two-dozen iTN affiliates nationwide.
Trained operators help locate local transportation resources for older adults or people with visual impairments.
There are 15,000 transportation options in the Rides in Sight database.
2.In 2015,iTNAmerica launched two initiatives.
The first was the #sharearide social media challenge.
The second was called theStorybook Tour.
Describe these two efforts.
The year 2015 [marked] the 20th anniversary of the first iTN ride in Portland, Maine.
Anyone who has a story to tell can contact us through storybooktour.org.
Here are a few examples of stories we’ve gathered at iTN:
3.
We have all become so accustomed to automobiles that we forget there is a risk.
Many people are concerned about their liability when it comes to using their car to volunteer.
As a driver or as a passenger, it’s always important to use good judgment.
Another alternative for a person who wants to help is to contact theirlocal iTN affiliateand become a volunteer driver.
ITN riders can be assured that their driver has undergone extensive background and safe-driving record checks.
Our challenge is really about raising awareness and tapping the share economy.
Who, within their internet or the community-at-large, could enhance that ride with even more purpose?
We each have the opportunity to change someone’s life for the better.
How are the transportation problems faced by older adults consistent nationwide and how are they geographically different?
Everyone knows that all communities are different, but each also has some fundamental things in common.
A majority of communities across America depend on private automobiles for transportation, and age affects driving.
When people limit or stop driving, alternatives become important.
In urban areas where there are more transit services, there are more options.
We believe the answer to the transportation needs of older people is parked in driveways from coast to coast.
All we need to do is share a ride.
We can create a virtual marketplace based on shared rides and shared vehicles.
So, technology is a major piece of the solution in which I would invest right away.
Another piece is for public policies to remove barriers that prevent people from taking care of themselves.
Every state should remove policy barriers to people trading in their cars to pay for their own rides.
Public transportation and for-profit services such as taxi cabs or Uber or Lyft will not meet the need alone.
Community-based and community-supported nonprofit services are an essential part of the mix.
Most Americans already spend about 20 percent of their household income on transportation.
It’s important for everyone tothink about and plan for their own future mobility.
Melissa Stanton is a senior advisor for AARP Livable Communities and editor of AARP.org/Livable.
Updated July 2016
Related article:1,000,000 Rides and Counting
