Demand specifics of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility for bus transport. Case of regional bus transport in Slovakia

Abstract

Presupposition for realizing the demand for bus transport is the existence of its potential, which represents the population of that city, region, or state. Public passenger transport is considered to be an instrument of state social policy. The legislation defines it as transport performed to satisfaction the transport needs of persons, especially vulnerable groups, pupils, students, and pensioners. A significant problem in Slovakia and also in abroad is an aging population. The retired population has different transport habits like other groups of passengers (children, pupils and students, economically active persons), which is related to the change of transport requirements, as well as an adaptation the public transport offer. In recent years, the number of license holders of individual disabled persons has been increasing in Slovakia, or possibly individual person with severe disability with a guide. In this article, we focus on examining the issue of the rising trend of issued valid licenses of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, and related new measures, to which transport undertakings are confronted and transport service subscribers. The aim is also to identify the motivation to own a disability person license or persons with reduced mobility with the ability to use it for the demand for public passenger transport.