Effects of Participating in a Volunteer Driving Program on Mental Health in Service Recipients and Volunteers

Objectives To assess the effects of a volunteer transportation program on mental health in riders and volunteers. Methods A cross-sectional study (N=133, age ≥60) compared pre- and existing (≥2 years) riders, pre- and existing (≥2 years) volunteer drivers, and riders (Rs) and pre-volunteers (PreVs), representing general older adults. The cohorts belonged to a large, community volunteer organization. Outcome measures, depression and quality of life, were analyzed using ANCOVA. Percentages of people who wanted to go to specific destinations with available transportation were identified for pre-riders (PreRs) and Rs. Results Rs had better depression scores (p<.001), no longer exhibited depressive symptoms (p=.005), and were better in quality of life (p=.002) than PreRs. Rs were similar to PreVs. PreRs’ major needs were going to medically related places (doctors’ offices – 74.4%, drug stores - 44.2%, hospitals – 37.2%) and basic living (grocery – 60.5%, clothing -37.2%). In Rs, these had significantly lowered, but still 40% wanted to go to doctors’ offices and 30%, grocery stores. Volunteer driver's (Vs)' depression (p=.009), health (p=.006), and social relationships (p=.004) were significantly better than PreVs'. Discussion Although the use of free transportation up to four times a month may not be enough to improve perceived health for Rs, it was beneficial to prevent depression and increase quality of life. Since many PreVs were doing volunteer work other than driving, the type of volunteer work matters. Regularly helping people, in person, with their core needs for living resulted in positive outcomes for Vs.

Decreasing Barriers to Care: Voices of Riders, Drivers, and Staff of a Rural Transportation Program

Eastern North Carolina (eNC) is a rural, poor, and underserved region of the state with 1 in 5 adults living below the poverty level. Residents experience health disparities driven by limited access to healthcare and inequitable distribution of social determinants of health. Project TRIP (Transporting Residents with Innovative Practices) is a potential solution to barriers in accessing care in eNC. Results presented include the first phase of a multi-phase study evaluating and replicating TRIP’s effectiveness. Data from qualitative interviews with TRIP riders, drivers, and staff (e.g., case managers) will be presented (n= 20). As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, interviews were conducted by telephone with the goal of understanding both strengths and weaknesses of the transportation program from riders, drivers, and staff to gain a holistic understanding of TRIP. Of the riders interviewed, the majority (91%) were age 50 and over and African American. Themes that emerged from the data that highlighted strengths of the program included: improved health outcomes, no wait times for pick up or drop offs, cost free, and accommodating service. Themes related to areas of weaknesses or improvement included: needing more transportation vendors and a dedicated TRIP case manager and scheduling concerns. The presentation will conclude with considerations in translating the findings into a pilot and expansion of TRIP in another eNC county (study phases 2 & 3), and how the data can inform the development of transportation interventions in other states, with the goal of increasing access to healthcare for vulnerable rural populations.

School transportation program as means to improve public education in a minor rural town in Northeastern Brazil

School transportation is crucial for access and permanence of students at school, in rural areas. The Brazilian government has funded school transport programs to support municipalities. This research aims to analyze if these programs are perceived as effective in small rural municipalities. Seeking this objective, a survey was carried out among students and teachers. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted to test the results. In the quantitative analysis, it is observed that the majority of students are very pleased, being regularity/punctuality the best-evaluated criterion. Teachers believe punctuality has improved, school evasion has decreased, and school performance has increased. In a combined analysis, the evaluations carried out by teachers regarding school evasion and performance presents a significant relationship with regularity/punctuality assessed by students. In the qualitative analysis, a grouping of ideas highlighted comfort, safety, civility and punctuality as positive, while most-cited negative points were overcrowding, lack of organization and discomfort.

FUNCTIONALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE GIRL CHILD STUDENT TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM IN KANO METROPOLIS

This study evaluates the performance of the Girl Child Student Transportation Program in Kano Metropolis. Data used for this study was obtained through questionnaire administration to the passengers that patronized the Girl Child Student Transportation Program. Purposive sampling technique was employed in the selection of respondents and 235 copies of questionnaire were administered to the respondents and 223 were retrieved and used in the data analysis. The study employed the use of both descriptive and inferential statistical methods of data analysis. The findings showed that 62 (53.9%) of the buses are used for the program are fully functional, 29 (25.2%) of the buses are partially functional and 24 (20.9%) of the buses are grounded. The result of the linear regression analysis revealed with inferential evidence that, only seating capacity has a significant relationship with the patrons’ trip frequency out of the various service quality determinants. The paper recommends that the management of the Girl child student transportation program needs to design a frame work that will guide the seating arrangement of the bus service in order to achieve the desire goal of the program

Assessing senior perspectives' towards ride for free public transportation: a case study in Oakville, Ontario

This research investigated the Ride for Free Public Transportation program for seniors in Oakville, Canada. Using a mixed-methods approach, participants were surveyed (n=131) to understand their travel behaviour, and interviewed (n=16) to understand their perspectives towards taking public transportation. While 63% of seniors said that the Ride for Free Transit Program did not impact their travel behaviour, 37% said that it increased their public transit use. The most popular reason for seniors to use public transportation was taking it by themselves. Some interview respondents said that they used public transportation because they would not have to ask others for rides or they did not have access to a car. Seniors suggested that more education of how to use the bus and transfer could increase senior ridership. This research may aid other municipalities considering similar programs, which could help to sustain the independent mobility of seniors.

Assessing senior perspectives' towards ride for free public transportation: a case study in Oakville, Ontario

This research investigated the Ride for Free Public Transportation program for seniors in Oakville, Canada. Using a mixed-methods approach, participants were surveyed (n=131) to understand their travel behaviour, and interviewed (n=16) to understand their perspectives towards taking public transportation. While 63% of seniors said that the Ride for Free Transit Program did not impact their travel behaviour, 37% said that it increased their public transit use. The most popular reason for seniors to use public transportation was taking it by themselves. Some interview respondents said that they used public transportation because they would not have to ask others for rides or they did not have access to a car. Seniors suggested that more education of how to use the bus and transfer could increase senior ridership. This research may aid other municipalities considering similar programs, which could help to sustain the independent mobility of seniors.

Infrastructure Academy Transportation Program

The College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology at the California State University, Los Angeles has expanded its National Summer Transportation Institute into a year-long program by creating the Infrastructure Academy Transportation Program (IATP). The goal of this program is to build a pipeline of diverse, well qualified young people for the transportation industry. The program works with high school students and teachers to offer academic courses, basic skills, workforce readiness training, internships, extracurricular activities, and career placements to prepare students and place them into the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) College track. The academy emphasizes on transportation as an industry sector and aims to increase the number of underrepresented minorities and women who directly enter the transportation workforce. It also aims at increasing the number of young people who enter college to study engineering or technology and subsequently pursue careers in transportation- and infrastructure-related careers. The IATP was conducted as a full-year program with 30 student participants from high schools.