Prior research has shown the important role that transportation plays in linking persons with disabilities to a range of community resources and services. Full participation in society, including school, work, and other activities, requires access to effective modes of transportation for all persons, especially those with a disability. Economic independence and self-sufficiency are possible only when transportation is accessible, affordable, and available, close to home and to the many destinations that people need to reach. As one of twelve operating administrations within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has a compelling interest in the transportation needs of persons with disabilities. One role of the BTS is to provide transportation data to decision-makers and other stakeholders, and its mission is to collect data, and compile, analyse, and publish statistics. In terms of national transportation statistics, one area that suffers from a critical lack of information is transportation use by persons with physical, mental or emotional disabilities. Little is known about the ability of the nation’s transportation system to fulfill the unique transportation needs of persons with disabilities. For this reason, the BTS initiated the 2002 Transportation Availability and Use Study to fill this information gap and allow the Government and other researchers to analyse the data, report the results, and help provide an informed basis for the development of transportation policies and programs. In particular, the goals of the survey are to: • Identify the various modes of transportation used by persons with and without a disability, including pedestrian walkways, automobiles, public transit, and specialised transportation programs; • Describe the levels of satisfaction and problems that persons experience when using these travel modes; • Permit comparisons of transportation use patterns, satisfaction levels, and problems, between persons with and without a disability; • Provide data on access to an automobile (including vehicles adapted for use by persons with disabilities), driving behaviour, accidents, and self-imposed limitations on driving; • Allow for the analysis of particular target groups of interest, such as the elderly, low-income persons, working-age adults, and children with and without disabilities; and • As an overall goal, create an information resource for transportation planners to use when developing national, state, and local policies and programs for persons with disabilities. (Author/publisher)
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