Planning Bus Refurbishments to Meet Canadian Accessibility Standards
If you are planning ahead for bus refurbishment to meet Canadian accessibility standards, there are several overlapping pieces of legislation, federal and provincial, that govern what is needed. New buses need to meet the current standards, but older buses and existing fleets have time and different deadlines to phase in the refurbishment depending on bus sizes, types, and fleet size. In today’s blog we want to give you a brief idea of what is needed.
Lighting
There needs to be adequate lighting and sufficient contrast for people to easily see and read signs. When most people think of accessibility, they think of those who have difficulty walking. However, accessibility standards also take into account those who may have other less obvious handicaps such as vision or hearing impairment.
Controls
Stop request controls need to be easy to see and easy to reach at appropriate heights.
Communication
There needs to be good visual displays and adequate audible announcements of pertinent information showing routes and stops.
Seating
There should be special seating for the handicapped near the front and clearly marked. Near this seating area should be adequate space and grab bars for stability in maneuvering around.
Boarding
There needs to be low-floor designs or kneeling or wheelchair lifts/ramps for accessibility with capacity for at least 600 pounds.
What is key to understand is that accessibility means different things to people with different types of handicaps, and the bus has to allow access to many different handicapped individuals. Rules are complex, and it would be good business to consult experts before starting to spend money on refurbishment to make sure you are in compliance with your particular province’s or territory’s requirements.
Dynamic Specialty Vehicles has been supplying and servicing mid-sized buses for over 30 years. 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.