4 Top Accessibility Features for Buses
Accessibility in everyday life is the difference between everyone having access or only the normally abled individuals. For buses, customization allows for unlimited features. In today’s blog article, we would like to talk about which accessibility features are the most important for buses.
Getting In and Out
That first step either on or off is the most important. Many individuals with any kind of slight mobility issue could have difficulty with the first step on or off the ground. For that reason, many public transit buses have a “kneeling” feature, which allows the first step to be very close to or at ground level.
Wheelchairs
For those in wheelchairs, there must be a ramp which safely lifts wheelchairs into and out of the bus, plus an area for the wheelchair to park safely inside. If you have space for wheelchairs, then you also need the features for signaling the driver to stop for someone who may not be able to reach a signal button overhead. In addition, there needs to be seating for the person who might be accompanying the individual in the wheelchair.
Grab Bars
There should be ample grab bars for someone moving through a bus and all around the entrance and exit to/from the bus. Anyone might need to grab hold of something to stay balanced—not just a disabled person.
Adequate Heating and Cooling
If you are going to transport the disabled, then appropriate heating and cooling features which work well are important. Someone who has difficulty communicating may not be able to say that he or she is hot or cold, so controlled temperatures are really important for the comfort of disabled passengers.
If you would like more information about making your buses more accessible, call us at our toll-free number (888) 416-9333, and we can help you.
Dynamic Specialty Vehicles has been supplying and servicing mid-sized buses in Western Canada for over 30 years. We have branches in Metro Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary that service British Columbia and Alberta. With long-term contracts with demanding clients like BC Ambulance and BC Transit, Dynamic Specialty Vehicles knows how to keep their clients safe and their buses running smoothly.
If you have any questions about this article or would like further information about buses and/or services, please call us on our Toll-Free number, (888) 416-9333.