Mobility Aids and MS:Public Transportation and Your Wheelchair

Using a wheelchair, scooter or power chair provides enhanced mobility in and around the house. Sometimes wheelchair users want to go further — across town, across the country or around the world — and the wheelchair has to go, too. Transporting the wheeler and wheelchair is a challenge not met without accommodations. Options are public transportation and private transportation. Today I am talking about wheelchairs and public transportation within the city and beyond.

The best solution is to live near shops, museums and restaurants, all connected by accessible sidewalks and over-street-walkways. In the real world, however, you must rely on transportation that accommodates both you and your chair, and that means adjustments must be made. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets specifications for vehicles transporting common wheelchairs.

A "common wheelchair is a mobility aid belonging to any class of three or four-wheeled devices, usable indoors, designed for and used by individuals with mobility impairments, whether operated manually or powered. A common wheelchair does not exceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches in length, measured two inches above the ground, and does not weigh more than 600 pounds when occupied." This definition includes any mobility device that fits the criteria, including scooters or POVs and power chairs.

The transporting vehicle operator must provide "safe and nondiscriminatory transportation" and may not deny boarding because the chair may be difficult to secure or may require high vehicle insurance rates.

Let's start with public transportation that is available to get you and your wheelchair around town.

Public Transportation within the City

Public transportation usually means cabs, buses, small rail or subway systems and, hopefully, paratransit systems. The Federal Transit Administration ensures compliance to ADA specifications.

Cabs — My scooter breaks down and easily fits into a car trunk. I have seen cab drivers who handle it well, who have a difficult time with it, and some who actually said they could not take the cart. It is awkward without experience, but it can be done.

Buses — Lift-equipped buses lower the front or open the back to allow wheeled entry. I have heard of complaints because it takes so long for the bus to allow wheelchair boarding. Diane J. Standiford tells us Seattle buses installed shields for driver safety, but they prevent scooters from boarding. There has to be a better way.

Subways — Subways require gap covers between the car and the platform for safer, easier boarding. Some cars, clearly marked, have special positions for wheelchairs/scooters, tie downs, and wheel locks. Some cities have accessible subways, and others are not quite there yet. New York, for example, is proud of accessiblity for buses, but I could find nothing about the expansive NYC subway system.

Paratransit — Many cities have door-to-door paratransit services that provide service for people who cannot ride fixed schedule buses. Individual trips are scheduled based on need. Vehicles are often able to transport mobility aids larger than a common wheelchair.