A user-centric multi-criteria evaluation of mobility services for people with disabilities in a real territorial context
Résumé
In light of mounting concerns about the socio-environmental impact of transportation, mobility users as a whole must change their travel behaviors to support the ecological transition. However, categories of users with particular needs, such as those with disabilities (defined as individuals with at least one severe limitation in a physical, sensory, or cognitive function), face unique mobility challenges. This study aims to develop an evaluation framework for mobility services, with the objective of identifying which services are most suitable for the particular needs of people with disabilities. The first step in this study was to analyze the PAM (Pour Aider à la Mobilité, in French) service, an on-demand mobility service specifically intended for people with disabilities, operated by the Département of Seine-Saint-Denis, a local authority in the Paris region. This was followed by a comparison of various mobility services with PAM, with the aim of identifying the most suitable solutions for people with disabilities. This approach involved three distinct elements: (1) multi-criteria analysis (MCA), (2) PAM data analysis and (3) the creation of representative user personas. As an illustration, we evaluated nine mobility services in relation to twelve criteria applied to people with psychiatric disabilities, providing a ranking of the most suitable solutions. Consequently, we have developed a methodological framework for evaluating mobility services tailored to the particular needs of specific categories of users. Our findings are of use to local authorities when implementing on-demand mobility services in conjunction with the existing transportation system and emerging mobility services.