The U.S. and Chinese Transportation Policies and Practices for the Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: A Literature Review-based Comparative Study
Even though China has entered the aging society almost 20 years ago and passed elderly and disability-related laws, its transportation-related facilities and services for the elderly and disabled remain insufficient, which has seriously impacted its Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations’ travel and quality of life. Thus, it is necessary to examine other advanced countries’ best planning practices in specialized transportation services to assess their applicability to China. This paper first reviews the U.S. and Chinese laws, regulations, implementation measures and studies related to the elderly and disabled transportation. Afterwards, it conducts an analysis on the differences between the U.S. and China and assesses the transferability and applicability of the American transportation policies and practices for the transportation-disadvantaged populations to China. Through this comparative analysis, it is concluded that China may learn from the U.S. in establishing a sound legal framework, enhancing institutional coordination, providing financial subsidy, and conducting comprehensive elderly and disabled transportation planning, design, construction and operation. In the meantime, China’s institutional well-organization, implementation efficiency and social mobilization capability can also offer many useful lessons to the U.S
