Use of Mobility Devices on Paratransit Vehicles and Buses (2014)

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4C H A P T E R 1 Currently public transportation operators are faced with two emerging factors, the change of demographics, which is reflected in an increasingly older and more obese population, and an increase in the use of mobility scooters for mobility out of doors or as a substitute for not being able to drive a car. These issues are straining public transportation resources and in addition, regulations and standards, have not kept up with these new developments. To set the stage for discussion, some key definitions are used. Table 4 shows those derived from Chapter 11 of the 3rd Edi- tion of the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM) [Kittelson, 2013]. The current regulations and standards for the mobility device footprint and payload, and the accommodation of passengers with disabilities do not address the recent changes in passenger demographics and WhMD technologies. As a result on some fixed-route transit systems, passengers and their equipment are left stranded. There is an urgent need to address basic issues, resulting from the increase in the size, weight, and maneuverability of mobility devices, particularly scooters. Specifically, because of the increasing number of people who are obese and use scooters for outdoor mobility, there is a need for heavier payload considerations for lifts and ramps and increased maneuvering and travel space. Background

5 Paratransit—forms of transportation services that are more flexible and personalized than conventional fixed-route, fixed-schedule service but not including such exclusory services as charter bus trips. The vehicles are usually low- or medium-capacity highway vehicles, and the service offered is adjustable in various degrees to individual users’ desires. Its categories are public, which is available to any user who pays a pre-determined fare (e.g., taxi, jitney, dial-a-ride), and semi-public, which is available only to people of a certain group, such as the elderly, employees of a company, or residents of a neighborhood (e.g., vanpools, subscription buses). Paratransit, Complementary—paratransit service required within a certain distance of any local fixed- route transit service to accommodate passengers whose disabilities prevent their independent use of the fixed-route service. Required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Demand-Response Transportation System—a form of public transportation characterized by flexible routing and scheduling of small- to medium-size vehicles (passenger cars, vans or small buses typically less than 25 seats) operating in shared-ride mode between pick-up and drop-off locations according to passengers' requests. A demand-responsive operation is characterized by the following: (a) the vehicles do not operate over a fixed route or on a fixed schedule except, perhaps, on a limited basis to serve specific origins or destinations; (b) passengers make a personal request for a reservation or service consideration (the reservation may be required several days in advance of the requested trip or on board the vehicle depending on the type of demand responsive operation), and (c) typically, the vehicle may be dispatched to pick up several passengers at different pick-up points before taking them to their respective destinations and may stop en route to these destinations to pick up other passengers. The following types of operations fall under the above definitions provided they are not on a sched- uled fixed-route basis: many origins-many destinations, few origins-few destinations, many origins– one destination, one origin-many destinations, and one origin-one destination. Transportation System, Dial-a-Ride—a demand-responsive system in which passengers call the transportation operator, who then dispatches a vehicle to pick up the passengers and take them to their destinations. It is also known as dial-a-bus when buses are the vehicles used. Transportation System, Fixed-Route—service provided on a repetitive, fixed-schedule basis along a specific route with vehicles stopping to pick up and deliver passengers to specific locations; each fixed- route trip serves the same origins and destinations, unlike demand response. Includes route deviation service, where revenue vehicles deviate from fixed routes on a discretionary basis. Transportation System, Non-Fixed Route—service provided along a specific route to specific locations but not provided on a repetitive, fixed-schedule basis. Demand response is the only non-fixed- route mode. Transportation System, Urban—the system of transportation elements (both private and public) that provides for the movement of people and goods in an urban area. The components include transit systems, paratransit services, and highway or road systems, and includes both private vehicles and pedestrians Table 4. TCQSM definitions of common terms.