Leisure trips of senior citizens: Determinants of modal choice

The use of the passenger car is a major cause of environmental degradation and increasing congestion on traffic arteries. Policy-makers therefore seek ways to curtail this form of private transport. Scientific research can help them attain this goal by identifying factors that influence travel behaviour. This paper examines the mobility of senior citizens with respect to various leisure activities, an area that has remained under-exposed. The analysis shows that older people prefer to take the car for trips in their leisure time. If they own a vehicle, they tend to use it frequently, irrespective of where they live. Characteristics of the residential environment mainly influence the modal choice of seniors who do not have a car of their own. Public transport is primarily used as a substitute for walking and cycling; public transport does not offer seniors a real alternative to the car.