ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses upon the potential for expanding E/H transportation to this segment of the population in the North American urban environment. The E/H population sample selected for a research was focused on the large Asian and Hispanic communities, as prior research indicates that minority elderlies with the additional language barriers may be a significant group with some special service needs. From the literature review, cultural differences and language barrier are considered as potential barriers to mobility. Since it is apparent that regular and special services such as Metrolift are not utilized by the majority of the elderlies in the sample, it is clear that they do not have any need for transit services or the nature of the services are inadequate in meeting their needs. Three major types of variables may be considered as possible explanatory variables for between-group variations in behavior, perceptions, and knowledge of the elderlies with respect to their travel needs.
