Understanding the factors affecting travel demand for persons with a mobility disability in New Brunswick

Abstract

Despite having the second highest rate of disability in Canada, there is little known about how persons with a disability in New Brunswick travel. The purpose of this research was to better understand the barriers to travel persons with a mobility disability experience in New Brunswick. A mail-out stated travel behaviour survey was administered to clients of Ability New Brunswick in Fredericton and Moncton (n = 672, response rate = 15%). Results showed respondents have transportation “all of the time” to make shopping (47%), social (36%), and health trips (56%) and there was strong agreement (62%) that private vehicles are important for travel. There were 13 participants recruited to participate in a semi-automated travel diary to better understand daily travel patterns. Participants made 155 trips, with most (89%) being made using a private vehicle. Stated adaptation interviews revealed participants are reliant on their primary mode of transportation to make trips.