IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i7p2989-d1622136.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Systematic Review of Government Measures to Improve Age-Friendly Transportation in the U.S., U.K., Japan, and China

Author

Listed:
  • Jichao Geng

    (School of Economics and Management, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China
    Intelligent Decision Game and Digital Economy Innovation, Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Hefei 230026, China)

  • Qun Shi

    (School of Economics and Management, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China)

  • Rebecca Kechen Dong

    (Management DG, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia)

Abstract

The global population is aging, and many countries face the daunting challenge of improving their social service systems to accommodate the shift. As global aging increases, the travel needs of older persons are becoming more pronounced. Given this, there is now an urgent need to create and enforce efficient actions to reconcile the incompatibility of the current transportation networks with the growing demand for travel by the elderly. In light of this context, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and China are used as examples in this study. It adopts a literature review analysis method based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to systematically review and analyze the efforts of the four countries to address the challenges of aging mobility in five dimensions, namely, laws and regulations, planning and design, policy measures, transportation infrastructure and services, and technology development. This review illustrates the similarities, distinctions, and difficulties that each nation faces in advancing the development of an age-friendly transportation environment by contrasting and evaluating the real-world experiences of the four nations. Accordingly, countermeasures and recommendations, such as stepped fare concessions and attention to the psychological adaptation of older persons in technological innovations, are proposed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jichao Geng & Qun Shi & Rebecca Kechen Dong, 2025. "A Systematic Review of Government Measures to Improve Age-Friendly Transportation in the U.S., U.K., Japan, and China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-28, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:2989-:d:1622136
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/2989/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/2989/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dong Lin & Jianqiang Cui, 2021. "Transport and Mobility Needs for an Ageing Society from a Policy Perspective: Review and Implications," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-16, November.
    2. David Metz, 2003. "Transport policy for an ageing population," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(4), pages 375-386, July.
    3. Wang, Donggen & Cao, Xinyu, 2017. "Impacts of the built environment on activity-travel behavior: Are there differences between public and private housing residents in Hong Kong?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 25-35.
    4. Wong, R.C.P. & Szeto, W.Y. & Yang, Linchuan & Li, Y.C. & Wong, S.C., 2018. "Public transport policy measures for improving elderly mobility," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 73-79.
    5. Kathy Black & Dylan J. Jester, 2020. "Examining Older Adults’ Perspectives on the Built Environment and Correlates of Healthy Aging in an American Age-Friendly Community," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-11, September.
    6. E. Codina & A. Marín & F. López, 2013. "A model for setting services on auxiliary bus lines under congestion," TOP: An Official Journal of the Spanish Society of Statistics and Operations Research, Springer;Sociedad de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, vol. 21(1), pages 48-83, April.
    7. Wong, R.C.P. & Yang, Linchuan & Szeto, W.Y. & Li, Y.C. & Wong, S.C., 2020. "The effects of accessible taxi service and taxi fare subsidy scheme on the elderly's willingness-to-travel," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 129-136.
    8. Yang Fu & Weihong Ma, 2020. "Sustainable Urban Community Development: A Case Study from the Perspective of Self-Governance and Public Participation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-15, January.
    9. Rye, Tom & Carreno, Michael, 2008. "Concessionary fares and bus operator reimbursement in Scotland and Wales: No better or no worse off?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 242-250, July.
    10. Matthew J Page & Joanne E McKenzie & Patrick M Bossuyt & Isabelle Boutron & Tammy C Hoffmann & Cynthia D Mulrow & Larissa Shamseer & Jennifer M Tetzlaff & Elie A Akl & Sue E Brennan & Roger Chou & Jul, 2021. "The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(3), pages 1-15, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dong Lin & Jianqiang Cui, 2021. "Transport and Mobility Needs for an Ageing Society from a Policy Perspective: Review and Implications," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Luigi Tinella & Andrea Bosco & Sergio Traficante & Rosa Napoletano & Elisabetta Ricciardi & Giuseppina Spano & Antonella Lopez & Giovanni Sanesi & Angela Stefania Bergantino & Alessandro Oronzo Caffò, 2023. "Fostering an Age-Friendly Sustainable Transport System: A Psychological Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-15, September.
    3. Abdul Rais Abdul Latiff & Saidatulakmal Mohd, 2023. "Transport, Mobility and the Wellbeing of Older Adults: An Exploration of Private Chauffeuring and Companionship Services in Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-17, February.
    4. Chen, Wendong & Cheng, Long & Chen, Xuewu & Chen, Jingxu & Cao, Mengqiu, 2021. "Measuring accessibility to health care services for older bus passengers: A finer spatial resolution," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    5. Faber, Koen & van Lierop, Dea, 2020. "How will older adults use automated vehicles? Assessing the role of AVs in overcoming perceived mobility barriers," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 353-363.
    6. Kaniz Fatima & Sara Moridpour & Tayebeh Saghapour, 2021. "Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Elderly Public Transport Mode Preference," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-15, April.
    7. Low, Wai-Ying & Cao, Mengqiu & De Vos, Jonas & Hickman, Robin, 2020. "The journey experience of visually impaired people on public transport in London," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 137-148.
    8. Liu, Shasha & Yamamoto, Toshiyuki & Yao, Enjian & Nakamura, Toshiyuki, 2021. "Examining public transport usage by older adults with smart card data: A longitudinal study in Japan," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    9. Broome, Kieran & Worrall, Linda & Fleming, Jennifer & Boldy, Duncan, 2012. "Evaluation of flexible route bus transport for older people," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 85-91.
    10. Rizkiana Sidqiyatul Hamdani & Sudharto Prawata Hadi & Iwan Rudiarto, 2021. "Progress or Regress? A Systematic Review on Two Decades of Monitoring and Addressing Land Subsidence Hazards in Semarang City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-26, December.
    11. Boglárka Anna Éliás & Attila Jámbor, 2021. "Food Security and COVID-19: A Systematic Review of the First-Year Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-18, May.
    12. Omoyele, Olalekan & Hoffmann, Maximilian & Koivisto, Matti & Larrañeta, Miguel & Weinand, Jann Michael & Linßen, Jochen & Stolten, Detlef, 2024. "Increasing the resolution of solar and wind time series for energy system modeling: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    13. Cala, Anggie & Maturana-Córdoba, Aymer & Soto-Verjel, Joseph, 2023. "Exploring the pretreatments' influence on pressure reverse osmosis: PRISMA review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    14. Ming Shan & Yu-Shan Li & Bon-Gang Hwang & Jia-En Chua, 2021. "Productivity Metrics and Its Implementations in Construction Projects: A Case Study of Singapore," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-19, November.
    15. Susca, T. & Zanghirella, F. & Colasuonno, L. & Del Fatto, V., 2022. "Effect of green wall installation on urban heat island and building energy use: A climate-informed systematic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    16. Alexander P. L. Martindale & Carrie D. Llewellyn & Richard O. Visser & Benjamin Ng & Victoria Ngai & Aditya U. Kale & Lavinia Ferrante Ruffano & Robert M. Golub & Gary S. Collins & David Moher & Melis, 2024. "Concordance of randomised controlled trials for artificial intelligence interventions with the CONSORT-AI reporting guidelines," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    17. Gizéh Rangel-de Lázaro & Josep M. Duart, 2023. "You Can Handle, You Can Teach It: Systematic Review on the Use of Extended Reality and Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Online Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-23, February.
    18. Kim, Hyunil & Kim, Yun Young & Song, Eun-Jee & Windsor, Liliane, 2024. "Policies to reduce child poverty and child maltreatment: A scoping review and preliminary estimates of indirect effects," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    19. Codina, Esteve & Rosell, Francisca, 2017. "A heuristic method for a congested capacitated transit assignment model with strategies," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 293-320.
    20. Lee, Kuan-Ting & Chen, Yen-Chin & Yang, Yi-Ching & Wang, Wei-Li, 2024. "On practicing magicine, from wonder to care: A systematic review of studies that apply magic in healthcare," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:2989-:d:1622136. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.