A new study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project shows that more than half of all non-drivers age 65 and over stay at home on.... A new study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project shows that more than half of all non-drivers age 65 and over stay at home on a given day, many because of limited transportation options. This trend is particularly troublesome as the baby boom generation of Americans grows older.

The report also finds that isolation of non-drivers affects the rural aging population disproportionately. Older people who live in sparsely populated geographical areas have fewer transportation options, such as regular transit services, than those living in denser geographic areas. Less than one half the population has adequate public transportation available to them. Walking is often difficult or unsafe and not an alternative. Americans age 65 and older make only 8 percent of their trips by walking. Street safety is cited as a major problem. In a recent STPP poll, 42 percent of Americans reported that dangerous intersections make crossing the street difficult where they live.

The report recommends providing more public transportation options; increasing funding and flexibility for existing programs to serve older people; better transportation planning with greater coordination with land use planning; improved human service and transportation coordination; and improved street design and safety features.