  Seniors residing in rural areas often encounter limited accessibility to
opportunities, resources, and services. This paper introduces a model proposing
that both aging and rural residency are factors contributing to the restricted
accessibility faced by rural seniors. Leveraging data from the 2017 National
Household Travel Survey, the study examines three hypotheses pertaining to this
causal model. Multiple causal pathways emerge in the data analysis, with
mobility identified as a mediator in one of them. The study further identifies
specific challenges faced by rural seniors, such as the reduced accessibility
in reaching medical services and assisting others. These challenges stem
primarily from aging and geographic obstacles that not only diminish their
willingness to travel but also restrict more in the group from choosing
transportation modes with higher mobility. The insights gained from this study
serve as a foundation for devising effective methods to enhance transportation
accessibility for seniors in rural areas.
