The San Mateo County Senior Mobility Action Plan is the work of a broad coalition of concerned entities in San Mateo County, with the leadership of the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans). The Plan is a joint effort to keep older people safe and connected to their communities as problems related to aging make it harder for them to get around.

Maintaining senior mobility is a concern because:

• The number of older people in San Mateo County is expected to double in the next 20 years. The number of older County residents who have difficulty driving or can't drive will also mushroom.
• Compared to the recent past, more older people will live in places that are difficult to serve by public transportation and will not be accustomed to using public transportation.
• Existing alternatives to driving and conventional public transportation, especially paratransit such as Redi-Wheels, will not be able to meet all the needs of seniors who must limit or cease driving.
• Because of recent waves of immigration, increasing numbers of older people will have difficulty accessing available transportation because of language and cultural barriers.

If action is not taken, these trends may result in:

• Rising numbers of traffic injuries and deaths due to rapidly increasing numbers of older drivers.
• Strain on families of older people as they deal with the practical and emotional issues of limited mobility.
• Isolation of older people who cannot reach services and activities.
• Strain on public, non-profit, and volunteer services as they attempt to assist older people and their families dealing with these issues.

Previous studies and plans have documented many of these needs. This plan builds on that earlier work, and is focused on working with organizations and local governments in the county to initiate effective action. A Steering Committee was formed consisting of 35 representatives of interested organizations and governments, including advisory and advocacy groups. The Steering Committee reviewed information about the needs of older people in the county and existing transportation services. The Committee then reviewed strategies for improving senior mobility that have been successful in other places and identified seven that were most promising for San Mateo County. These seven mobility strategies are:

1. Community Transit Services: Local shuttles using small vehicles to serve short trips within communities.
2. Community-Based Transportation Services: A non-profit, community transportation network with public and private funding that would provide an alternative to Redi-Wheels for seniors who can't drive or use transit.
3. Encouraging Use of Transit: Efforts to communicate to seniors that transit is safe, modern, and provides independence.
4. Safe Driving: Driver training and helping people adapt to changes brought on by aging, including retiring gracefully from driving when necessary and adapting cars for older drivers.
5. Taxicabs: A pilot project demonstrating accessible cabs, service improvement, and a possible fare subsidy; in the long run apply lessons from the pilot countywide.
6. Information & Referral: Information about all modes of travel, available by telephone, the Internet, widely disseminated literature, and through agency staff that work with older people.
7. Walking: Improvements to sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and driver awareness, focusing on neighborhoods with high concentrations of seniors and walkable destinations.

The Steering Committee divided into working groups and refined these strategies, identifying organizations and governments in the county that could participate in implementing them, as well as potential funding sources.

At key points, the process included input from an Expert Advisory Panel consisting of representatives of Caltrans, the Division of Motor Vehicles, the California Department of Health Services, the American Society on Aging, the California Commission on Aging, AARP, the Beverly Foundation, and the California State Automobile Association.

Effective action to address the issue of senior mobility will require collaboration by all levels of government, public and non-profit agencies, the private sector, individual older people, and the general public. The Steering Committee and project staff are consulting with as many potential partners as possible to make them aware of the Senior Mobility Action Plan and determine how they can be involved in implementing the priority strategies. For further information about how to become involved in this process, contact: