The Challenges and Policy Recommendation of Developing an Age-Friendly Transport System in China

Based on field research and written surveys conducted in more than 20 major provinces and cities in China, as well as a statistical analysis of nearly a thousand “elderly travel questionnaires,” this paper summarizes the characteristics of transport and travel service needs of the elderly in China. At present, the main challenges for China to develop an age-friendly transport system lie in seven aspects, including the inadequate policy scheme, the slow-traffic system, facilities and equipment, the elderly travel service levels, standardization management, elderly driving vehicle management, and travel issues for elderly in rural areas. Borrowing relevant experiences from developed countries such as the United States and Japan, this article further recommends improving the top-level policy system, strengthening policy and financial support, building an age-friendly travel environment, improving the travel service level, creating a culture of respect for the elderly, and strengthening multi-party coordination.