Middle-aged and older adults’ transportation patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods study

Abstract

Older adults’ risk from COVID-19 led many, especially in the first year of pandemic, to travel less frequently and take shorter trips. Studies document declines in driving and walking, but fewer examine cycling and getting rides from others. Moreover, few explore how people felt about these changes. Using data from a survey of Floridians aged 50 or older (n = 4,145), we compare use of various transportation modes – driving, walking, cycling, and getting rides from family and friends – before the start of the pandemic and during its first year. Results revealed declines in driving but little overall change in walking and cycling. Results also indicated that rides from others declined, especially rides with friends compared with family. Analysis of responses to an open-ended item revealed positive and negative assessments of these changes.

Keywords

• Driving
• Walking
• Cycling
• Friends
• Family
• Qualitative