ABSTRACT
The intercity bus industry plays an important role in long distance transportation for the non-driving public throughout North America. This chapter reviews the degree of dependence on intercity bus service among the elderly and the prospects for serving disabled passengers on the mode. Intercity bus services in North America have been considered especially important to the mobility needs of the elderly, particularly in small towns and rural areas. In some cases it appears that elderly persons living in rural areas may be the most dependent users of that service, prompting a concern that ways be found to maintain or replace intercity bus services if services can no longer be operated profitably by the private sector. In the US, the major reason for the concern over the degree to which the elderly depend on intercity bus services is the reduction in services following the passage of regulatory reform legislation in 1982.
