Mobility for All:
Accessible Transportation Around the World

A guide to making transportation accessible 
for persons with disabilities and elders
in countries around the world

October 1998


Prepared by Tom Rickert
Executive Director
Access Exchange International 

Coordinated by the Rev. Kathy Reeves
Health and Welfare Ministries
General Board of Global Ministries
The United Methodist Church

----------
CONTENTS


C  Introduction

C  Getting Organized 

C  Getting to a Transit Stop

Access to streets and pathways

Access to parking space

Access to bus stops

Shelters and waiting areas 

Bus stops for all: a case study from Brazil

C  Getting on Board

Access to buses 

Access to trains and subways

Vans and mini-buses for door-to-door service 

Ramped taxis 

Access to motorcycles, horses, and other modes of travel

C  Access to trip destinations

C  Laws and regulations

C  Resources

----------
INTRODUCTION


Persons with disabilities and frail elders need transportation to get 
to work, school, recreation, medical services, and all the other 
activities of daily living.  Public transportation needs to become 
accessible for  blind persons, persons who are partially sighted, 
people with mobility and cognitive impairments, and persons who are 
deaf, deafened, or hard-of-hearing.  Disabled persons and seniors  
need the mobility provided by buses, trains, vans, taxis, and other 
means of transportation.

The first section of this publication discusses advocacy for access to 
transport around the world while the second section introduces some 
aspects of access to streets and pathways, shelters and waiting areas, 
and bus stops.  The third section deals  with access to transit 
vehicles.  The guide continues with brief discussions of access to 
public buildings and houses of worship and of the role of laws and 
regulations.  The guide concludes with a section on resources about 
accessible transportation.  Readers are referred to this section for 
sources of further information about the many topics introduced in 
this guide. 

This manual is being sent to persons in countries around the world.  
It will help introduce persons with disabilities and their friends to 
different types of accessible transportation.  It will help 
transportation professionals and government officials to review 
different approaches to transit system accessibility.  And it will 
assist clergy, religious  workers, members of communities of faith, 
and others to be advocates for accessible transportation in their 
communities.  We hope this publication will be especially helpful to 
persons in less-wealthy countries where first steps must be taken on 
the long path to mobility for all.

*       *       *       *

This guide is published by the Health and Welfare Ministries of the 
General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church.  
Other publications on accessibility concerns may be found in the 
section on "Resource Materials" at the end  of this guide.  

This publication has been prepared by Tom Rickert, Executive Director 
of Access Exchange International (AEI), a non-profit agency in San 
Francisco, California, USA, with the mission of promoting accessible 
transportation around the world.   Prior to founding AEI, the author 
was Manager of Accessible Services for the San Francisco Municipal 
Railway, which is San Francisco's public transportation agency. Photos 
not credited have been taken by the author.

----------
GETTING ORGANIZED 


(Photo captions below in next 2 paragraphs)

(paragraph 1 of captions) Disability leaders meet with Mexican transit 
officials in Ciudad Obreg n, Sonora State (top); a South African 
disability activist (upper right); Costa Rican disability movement 
leaders and their friends in San Jos , Costa Rica (right); 
Representatives from disability and social service agencies meet in 
Moscow, Russia, in order to coordinate their door-to-door van services 
in Moscow (lower right).  Advocates for access need to work across 
disability lines in order to best reach out to transit officials.

(paragraph 2 of captions) Testing access to buses and trams in San 
Francisco, USA.  Persons with disabilities review each project in the 
test stage so that their suggestions may benefit all policies and 
improvements in access to transportation.  


Mobility for all means advantages for all.  Most of the improvements 
which help disabled persons also help everyone else.  If disabled 
persons can get to a bus stop and easily get on a bus, that usually 
means that other passengers also have an easier time using public 
transportation.

For example, everyone benefits from pedestrian paths and streets 
without potholes, from bus stop waiting areas which are safely removed 
from traffic, from easily read destination signs on buses, from proper 
hand grips on bus doors, and from drivers who call out key stops.  But 
while non-disabled passengers may find it harder to ride a bus without 
these improvements, disabled passengers may be prevented from using a 
bus.  And without mobility, disabled persons cannot get to work or 
school or to any other activity.

So persons with disabilities and their friends need to organize 
themselves to advocate for access to public transportation.  And, 
since their goals help the rest of society, they need to work with 
other persons and organizations who will also benefit from greater 
access to public transportation.  Advocates can include friends and 
relatives of disabled persons, transportation officials, social 
service workers, medical agencies, public works officials, city 
planners, bus drivers, and newspapers as well as TV and radio 
stations.  Persons with mobility difficulties should work with those 
who are blind or partially sighted, and those with other types of 
disabilities, in order for their advocacy to be most effective.

Advocacy need not mean being an "adversary."  Some of the best 
advocacy is done in friendly meetings with public officials and 
through helpful letters and phone calls which point out the advantages 
of access by all to public transportation.  Successful advocacy should 
ideally result in "first steps" toward access, including curb ramps at 
street corners, ramps to public buildings, low-cost improvements such 
as larger letters on bus destination signs, or the initiation of 
door-to-door service to a major destination such as a school or 
rehabilitation center.  These "first steps" can result in good 
publicity for everyone, including transportation officials.  "First 
steps" can then form the basis for additional improvements as part of 
the process of creating accessible transit systems.

In turn, transit agencies need public support as they seek more funds 
for their services.  As part of their advocacy, disability agencies 
need to support better public transportation for everyone.

----------
GETTING TO A TRANSIT STOP


Streets and pathways


Access to transportation is not just a matter of  being able to ride 
on buses and trains.  Transportation access also benefits from changes 
in the attitudes other people have toward persons with disabilities.  
Prejudice against disabled persons will hinder the success of even the 
best efforts to improve access.   Also, those who have mobility 
difficulties may need practical, low-cost and easily repaired mobility 
aids, including wheelchairs, canes, walkers and crutches.

But even with good attitudes, good mobility aids, and access to 
transit vehicles, disabled persons also need pedestrian pathways which 
are free of barriers in order to get to a bus stop or a train station.  
Barriers can include curbs, pot holes, muddy pathways,  drainage 
ditches, piles of refuse, broken pavement or sidewalks, high curbs, or 
grates with openings so large that they catch wheelchair wheels or 
canes.  In cold climates, piles of snow can also be a barrier.

The photo at the upper left shows a "curb ramp" (curb cut) in the 
United States, with a slope between the sidewalk and street which 
easily permits a person riding a wheelchair to cross the street.  The 
diagram at the upper right, from Canada, shows ideal sidewalk widths 
to enable wheelchair users to freely travel, with specifications for 
curb ramps.

The diagram at lower left, also from Canada, shows how a blind 
pedestrian benefits from having a flat smooth surface to walk on, with 
tree limbs out of the way,  grates with small openings (or better 
still, no grates at all), and without objects such as news stands 
blocking the pathway.

The diagram at the lower right notes the proper construction of 
unpaved pedestrian pathways which are designed for proper drainage.  
Pathway soil should be stabilized if possible.  Governments unable to 
afford paved sidewalks should have a program to maintain pedestrian 
pathways in as good condition as possible.

In every country and at all levels of government, programs are needed 
to prevent pedestrians from having to walk in traffic lanes used by 
vehicles.  Around the world, tens of thousands of pedestrians are 
killed or become disabled every year due to a lack of pedestrian 
pathways.

Transportation managers need to work with the city departments in 
charge of streets and pedestrian pathways to make sure that all their 
passengers can get to their bus stops or railroad stations.

Such coordination will assure that pedestrian pathways provide an 
unbroken path of travel to transit stops. Sidewalks and waiting areas 
should be well illuminated.  Bus stop markers, benches and shelters 
should contract with their surroundings to assist all passengers, 
including those who are partially sighted.  When possible, seats 
should be provided at transit stops to assist frail elders and others 
who find it difficult to stand and wait for their vehicle. 

(In actual use in any given city or country, local conditions and 
regulations will determine building materials and safety standards.  
Photographs and diagrams in this publication do not necessarily 
represent the standards currently in use in the USA, where this 
publication is written.)


Access to parking space

Accessible parking is needed for drivers using wheelchairs or with 
other mobility difficulties.  Such parking is especially needed near 
major transit stops, for use by those who wish to transfer from a car 
to a bus or train.  The diagrams below illustrates some of the 
features of accessible parking space as required by law in the USA.

Features of accessible parking spaces for cars

1. Sign with the international symbol of accessibility  mounted high 
enough so it can be seen while a vehicle is parked.

2. If the accessible route is located in front of the space, install 
wheelstops to keep vehicles from reducing width below 915 mm.

3. Access aisle of at least 1525 mm.  width must be level (1/50 
maximum slope in all directions), be the same length as the adjacent 
parking space(s) it serves and must connect to an accessible route to 
the building. Ramps must not extend into the access aisle.

4. Boundary of the access aisle must be marked.  The end may be 
squared or curved shape.

5. Two parking spaces may share an access aisle.

Three additional features for van-accessible parking

1. Sign with "van accessible" and the international symbol of 
accessibility mounted high enough so the sign can be seen when a 
vehicle is parked in the space

2. 2440 mm. minimum  width access aisle, level (maximum slope 1:50 in 
all directions), located beside the van 

3. Min. 2500 mm. high clearance at van parking space, access aisle, 
and on vehicular route to and from van space

Adapted from ADA Design Guide of the  U.S. Dept. of Justice, Civil 
Rights Division, Disability Rights Section


Access to bus stops

All passengers benefit from transit stops and transit terminals which 
are safe and accessible.  Approaches to transit stops should be on 
well-paved or level surfaces.  Curbs should be ramped for easy access 
and platforms for trams or trains should also be ramped.  The two 
photos at right illustrate access to a bus stop and to a tram stop in 
San Francisco.  

The Canadian diagram at lower right illustrates access to transit 
stops in rural areas or areas where roads may be unpaved.  Where 
possible, the transit stop itself should be paved, with curb ramps for 
those with mobility difficulties. If this cannot be done, at a minimum 
transit stops should be entirely off the road so that passengers can 
wait safely.  Even if a paved sidewalk is not available, a 2-meter or 
longer raised curb between the road and the passenger waiting area can 
provide greater safety, assist mobility-impaired persons to reach the 
first step of the bus, and provide orientation to blind persons or 
those who are partially sighted.

Transit stops should be marked with large-print signs to assist those 
passengers who are partially sighted.   Route and schedule information 
should be displayed to assist all passengers.  Ideally, transit stops 
should provide separate waiting areas for passengers that do not 
conflict with nearby pedestrians, as shown in the diagram at bottom.

Shelters and waiting areas

Accessible transit shelters and waiting areas also benefit all 
passengers.  Persons with mobility aids can easily enter the shelter 
shown in the photo above left, from San Francisco.  

The Canadian diagram (above right), incorporates several features 
which assist disabled persons.  These features include seating for 
waiting passengers, a tactile warning strip to assist the blind person 
shown waiting with her dog guide, a curb cut to assist persons 
crossing the street to the bus stop, and measures to prevent newspaper 
boxes and other obstacles from blocking access to the stop.   Route 
and schedule information is also displayed.  

A small low-cost shelter, accessible to wheelchair users, is shown in 
the diagram at lower right.  The diagram at lower left shows 
recommended clearance so that persons using wheelchairs can board a 
bus which has a wheelchair lift or special ramp.

Curitiba, Brazil:  A city committed to accessible transit 

Persons with disabilities can enter Curitiba's "bus tube" waiting 
areas along with other passengers, using a flat surface or a small 
lift (photos above).  Bus tubes improve access, protect all 
passengers, and permit fast boarding because passengers have already 
paid their fares upon entering the bus tube to await their bus.
  
Articulated buses on Curitiba's main routes stop alongside the bus 
tube stations.  Bus drivers lower special "bridges" over platform 
projections in order to provide a smooth entrance for wheelchair users 
and all others between the floor of the bus tube and the floor of the 
bus (photos below).  In addition, four lift-equipped bus lines connect 
with main routes and lift-equipped taxis serve points of special 
interest to disabled persons 

(All photos this page by Inter-American Development Bank, Charles 
Wright)

----------
GETTING ON BOARD


Access to buses

Buses provide most of the public transit trips taken around the world.  
Access for wheelchair users is often provided using lifts or ramps.  
For example, Mexico City recently deployed locally-made lift-equipped 
buses and trolley buses on major routes (see photo at left, noting 
also the low retractable first step in the front entrance).  Some 
manufacturers specialize in making high-quality lifts which are 
available for use on locally-made buses around the world.  (Photo top 
of opposite page).  Buses can also have a kneeler feature, which 
allows the driver to lower the front (or other) entrance to reduce the 
height of the first step above the surface of the bus stop. 

Buses should be equipped with easily reached grab bars for boarding 
and alighting, and with as many vertical stanchions as possible for 
standing passengers.  This especially helps passengers with back pain 
or mobility concerns.  The photo at left shows the "forest of 
stanchions" adapted for use in San Francisco.

The photo at bottom left shows reserved seating signs for elders and 
those with disabilities, used on buses in many countries.  

It is helpful to paint hand grips and steps a bright color (yellow in 
many countries).  Bus destination signs should be in large print with 
high-contrast letters to assist all passengers and especially those 
who are partially sighted.  The bus number can be posted inside the 
bus using raised letters as well as braille dots, to assist those 
partially sighted or blind passengers who read braille to both commend 
or criticize their bus service. (See photo at bottom right of previous 
page.)

Especially when initiating accessible bus service, transit agencies 
should consider making a single bus route totally accessible to 
wheelchair users rather than having every second or third bus be 
accessible.  This is because it is important that service be reliable.  
Disabled persons may take a few months to become accustomed to 
accessible public transit and, as with all passengers, reliability is 
needed in order to gain more passengers.  

In many cases, "travel training" can be offered to assist new 
passengers who have never ridden a bus before.  When possible, transit 
information should be available in "alternative formats" such as large 
print material for partially sighted passengers and braille or 
cassette tape for the blind.  Travel information should be available 
for deaf, deafened, and hard-of-hearing passengers via teletypewriter, 
fax, and electronic media, depending on local conditions. 

In addition, transit agencies should enforce a policy that vehicles 
remain stopped while passengers board and alight and that disabled 
persons are seated before the vehicle is in motion.  Drivers should 
call out key stops in order to assist all passengers and especially 
those who are blind or partially sighted.

(Photo caption) Testing wheelchair lift in South Africa


Low-floor buses:
Easy access for everybody

Low floor buses are becoming a common sight in Europe and North 
America.  Many low-floor buses can board wheelchair users directly 
from a raised sidewalk. Others use a fold-out ramp, such as the 
Canadian bus in the photo below.  And other low-floor buses use a 
sliding ramp under the floor, as with the bus in London shown at 
right.


Wheelchair securement:
U.S. & European methods

In the United States, passengers using wheelchairs usually face 
forward, the wheelchair is secured using a wheel clamp or belt, and 
the passenger is secured with a seat belt (photo at left).  In Europe, 
wheelchair users travel unrestrained, seated facing backward, with the 
wheelchair backed against a soft bulkhead.


Bus access at key sites

In countries which lack accessible buses, access for passengers who 
cannot climb steps may be possible using platforms at key sites.  As 
proposed by AEI, a portable bridge piece, fixed to the platform or 
stored behind the driver inside the bus, can span the gap between a 
raised platform and the floor of the bus.  A bridge design prepared by 
Kevin Ball and Trent Inglesby at Oregon State University (USA) is 
shown in the diagrams above at left, while a prototype platform 
designed by Angela Archangelskaya in Moscow in shown above right.  The 
photos below show testing of ramped platforms with buses in the USA 
(left) and Russia (right).  If properly located, a network of such 
platforms could provide significant access at low cost, depending on 
local conditions.


Access to trains and subways

Access by persons with disabilities to trains and subways is another 
important part of creating access to public transportation.

Advocates should stress the importance of building new train cars with 
wide enough doors to accommodate those using wheelchairs, walkers, and 
other mobility devices.  Once inside, design features should allow 
room for those riding wheelchairs to either remain in their wheelchair 
or to transfer to a regular seat.  In general, the various features 
noted in the discussion on access to buses (previous four pages) also 
apply to access to trains.  However, access to trains is simplified by 
two differences:

1) Train stations are fewer in number, since they are usually farther 
apart than bus stops.

2)  It is usually necessary to provide access to wheelchair riders to 
only one car per train.

There are two general methods of providing access to trains from 
adjacent platforms, although each method has several variants.  Both 
methods are used extensively in North America and Europe:

1)  Through the use of portable hand-operated lifts, illustrated in 
the Canadian photo, upper left.  

2)  Through the use of high platforms which permit all passengers to 
board on a level surface, as shown in the American photo at center 
left.  

The diagram at lower left illustrates the use of a warning strip to 
assist all passengers as they near the edge of the platform.  In many 
countries this strip is approximately 24 inches (approx. 600 mm) wide. 
The warning strip should provide a difference in color (typically a 
bright yellow), texture and "feel" (the warning strip should feel 
different under foot, or at the touch of a cane used by a blind 
person).  The diagram  also illustrates how level crossings should be 
provided if tracks must be crossed to get to the proper platform.

Access to railroad platforms can vary  between stations or between 
different cities and countries.  The photo at bottom illustrates the 
use of a sloped ramp to provide access for wheelchair users and other 
passengers to a subway platform in San Francisco.  However, many 
subway stations are far below ground and require the construction of 
elevators to the platform level in order to provide access for persons 
with disabilities.  In such cases, key stations should be identified 
in cooperation with advisors with disabilities, in order to phase in 
such improvements.  In all events, new subway and railway stations 
around the world should always be built to permit access by passengers 
with disabilities.  Such construction almost always costs far less 
than retrofitting older stations.  In fact, there is often little or 
no additional cost when new facilities are built with full access for 
frail elders and persons with disabilities.


(Diagram caption)
Billie Louise Bentzen, Project Action, Detectable Warnings in Transit 
Facilities: Safety & Negotiability (USA), 1995

  


Surface platforms at key sites:

Small "mini-platforms" at key sites can provide access to trains and 
trams, as shown in the above photo from San Francisco.  The diagram 
and photo below illustrate access to a trolley line in San Francisco 
using such a platform along with a portable bridge carried in the car, 
which is put in place by the driver.


Smaller vehicles for door-to-door service and service routes

Photo captions (3 paragraphs, below)

1. Elders transported in Moscow, Russia

2. Top:  One of 74  accessible small buses run by the Hong Kong 
Society for Rehabilitation on 51 fixed routes (photo courtesy of 
Joseph Kwan,  ReHabAid Centre, Hong Kong)  Bottom:  An extra-low step 
on a London paratransit van assists semi-ambulatory passengers.

3. Left: A van passenger in Johannesburg, South Africa (photo by 
Richard Weiner).  Right:  A lift-equipped van in Mexicali, Mexico, 
operated by the Fundaci n ProPersonas con Discapacidad.

Often one of the first steps in the creation of accessible public 
transportation is to start an accessible system using vans, small 
buses, or taxis.  Historically, such systems have been operated by 
social service agencies in many countries in order to serve their 
clients.  In the 1970's, these systems began to serve all qualifying 
disabled persons in Sweden, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere in much 
of Europe.  Soon these systems spread to North America and they are 
now found in some cities on all continents. 

These smaller vehicles are usually operated in  door-to-door service, 
called "paratransit" service in North America.  Such service is 
mandated in the United States by the federal Americans with 
Disabilities Act.  Paratransit services are usually operated 
door-to-door, in order to transport persons with disabilities, 
including frail elders, between their homes and trip destinations.  
Usually the fares of passengers are subsidized by funds from city or 
state governments.

A second major approach is the use of "service routes," which were 
first initiated in Sweden.  Service routes usually follow a fixed 
route designed to pass near the homes of persons with disabilities as 
well as major trip destinations such as shopping areas, schools, and 
rehabilitation centers.  In some cases, service routes permit their 
drivers to deviate a short distance from a fixed route in order to 
pick up a person who has telephoned for service from their home.  In 
countries with very few telephones, such service works best for 
recurrent trips, for example, trips taken at the same time on the same 
day each week.

Both door-to-door service and service routes can provide feeder 
service to any accessible bus routes or railroad stations.

Because small vehicles are often operated by social service or 
disability agencies without a great deal of experience in 
transportation, care should be taken to make sure that vehicles 
receive scheduled preventive maintenance and that they are scheduled 
to pick up passengers efficiently.  Often it may increase revenues to 
offer such transportation services to everyone -- not just to persons 
with disabilities.  This is especially true of service routes.

Increasingly, however, accessible paratransit services and service 
routes are being operated by public transportation agencies, either 
using their own drivers or by contracting with social service agencies 
or private businesses to operate these services.

Whoever operates these services, drivers should be trained to 
competency in all of their tasks.  It is especially important that 
drivers receive training to assure that they are sensitive to the 
needs of passengers with disabilities.  Such training needs to include 
body mechanics, including how to board and secure persons using 
wheelchairs.  Driver training should always emphasize safe driving.

Other matters to consider when developing a door-to-door system or 
service routes include:

C  Development of policies for determining the eligibility of 
passengers, trip reservation policies, and collection of any passenger 
fares.

C Development of personnel policies for both paid and volunteer 
personnel

C Service design and scheduling to assure that passengers are picked 
up in an efficient manner.  More passengers will be carried, at a 
lower cost per trip, if pickups are "clustered" in the same 
neighborhood or along a corridor.

C Emergency plans to assure that all personnel know what to do in case 
of an accident or other emergency.  Planning should also include 
actions to take in the event of a disaster such as fire, flood, or 
earthquake.

C Performance evaluation, including setting goals and collecting and 
interpreting data in order to determine how to improve service


Ramped taxis

In many countries it is preferable to have transportation which serves 
all passengers instead of separate systems for passengers with and 
without disabilities.  One example is the use of ramped taxis.  Such 
vehicles serve all passengers, but can be regulated to give priority 
to persons with disabilities.

The photo at top left shows a ramped taxi in operation in San 
Francisco, USA, while the photo at top right shows one of 10,000 
ramped taxis in use in London, UK.  Ramped taxis are probably the 
chief method of transportation for persons with disabilities in 
London.  Such vehicles are gradually coming into more use in Europe, 
Asia, and Central and South America.

Ramped taxis can provide quick service when telephones are available.  
Where possible, governments can subsidize fares for disabled persons.


Accessible motorcycles

Shown at left are three-wheeled motorcycles that have been modified 
for use by persons with mobility difficulties.  The vehicles are 
produced by Kepha Motorbikes, founded by Wycliffe Kepha in Nairobi, 
Kenya.  It is planned to further modify these vehicles so that a 
person using a wheelchair can ride in a compartment behind the driver 
without needing to transfer to a regular seat.  Such vehicles could 
provide low-cost door-to-door service for persons with disabilities.


Access to horses

In some cases, modifications to saddles can make it easier for those 
with mobility difficulties to ride horses.  The photos below are by  
Joyce Blatherwick, a wheelchair user in rural Montana, USA.  The photo 
at left shows her riding with the help of her specially designed 
saddle, while the photo at right shows some of the special features of 
her saddle.

Note that the saddle is deeply curved to provide the depth to leave 
room for a cushion under the rider.  Velcro straps on the stirrups and 
under the rider's shoes help keep legs in place.  A handle is added on 
the back of the saddle to assist in mounting the horse.   (See 
Resource Directory for information about how to contact Ms. 
Blatherwick for more information.)
  

Access to other modes of travel

Buses, rail cars and smaller vehicles account for most of the trips by 
public transportation in many countries.   This guide can only mention 
some of the other areas where people are researching how to make 
transportation more accessible.

C  Non-motorized vehicles include bicycles, pedicabs, and rickshaws, 
all of which can be made more accessible to persons with disabilities.  
This may include modifications to the vehicles themselves, or the 
development of trailer units for use with a bicycle or pedicab.

C  Airports are becoming more accessible in many countries around the 
world, including a rapid increase in methods for assisting persons 
with disabilities to board airplanes.  The photo at bottom illustrates 
the use of a portable hand-operated lift to assist a passenger using a 
wheelchair to board an airplane.

C  Ferry boats and other passenger ships also need to become more 
accessible.  There is especially a need to redesign ferry boat 
bulkheads to eliminate barriers and also to design gang planks so that 
they do not become too steep due to changes in water levels as tides 
ebb and flow.


Laws and guidelines

Countries around the world are beginning to provide guidelines and 
regulations in response to the advocacy of persons with disabilities.  
The covers illustrated above are for guidelines in Spanish and Russian 
for access to the built environment, published respectively by the 
Mexican Social Security Institute and the Moscow Committee on 
Architecture.  The photo below, from Santiago, Chile, announces the 
Disability Law, which includes some provisions for transportation 
access.  All countries should consider laws requiring new public 
facilities to be accessible -- a start on the road toward a 
comprehensive legal framework requiring that the build environment and 
transit vehicles not present obstacles to persons with disabilities.

----------
ACCESS TO TRIP DESTINATIONS


Trip destinations need to be accessible in order for frail elders and 
other persons with disabilities to have the mobility they need to lead 
independent lives.  This means that there should be accessible routes 
from transit stops to buildings used by the public.

Such buildings include government offices, commercial buildings, 
railroad and bus terminals, schools, medical and recreational  
facilities, and houses of worship.  Once the building is reached, the 
accessible route should continue through the door to destinations 
within the building, including auditoriums, sanctuaries of houses of 
worship, offices, bathrooms, public telephones, water fountains, and 
other public conveniences.

In general, the rules that apply for pedestrian paths to transit stops 
also apply for access to and within public buildings.  The photo at 
upper right shows access from the street to the entrance of a public 
building in San Francisco, USA, while the diagram at lower right 
illustrates a ramp inside a church.  But in both cases the ramp should 
not exceed one unit of rise for every twelve units of length.

The following standards are selected from the far more detailed 
regulations of the  Americans with Disabilities Act, which are used in 
the USA.  They generally reflect current usage in North America and 
much of Europe:


Regarding paths of travel for wheelchair users and others with 
mobility impairments:

815 mm:  minimum clear width for passage of a single wheelchair at a 
point (such as a doorway), with the passage itself 915 mm. wide.

1525 mm: minimum width for two wheelchairs to pass each other

1525 mm: diameter of a clear space for a wheelchair user to make a 
180-degree turn

2030 mm: clearance between a path of travel and an overhead 
obstruction (of special importance for blind persons or those who are 
partially sighted)

Ramps should be sloped at not more than a 1:12 slope, that is, not 
more than 1 cm. of rise for every 12 cm. of length.  Landings at the 
top and bottom of a ramp should be level.  A flat rest area should be 
provided on longer ramps, after each rise of not more than 760 mm.  
The inclined surface of a ramp should have a contrasting color and a 
detectable non-slip surface.  Ramps should be protected with 
handrails. 

Ramps and corridors leading to buildings or inside of buildings should 
be free of protruding objects which can be a barrier to blind persons, 
persons who are partially sighted, and persons with mobility 
impairments.


Regarding bathrooms:

The diagram at lower left is from Accessibility Guidelines for 
Buildings and Facilities in the Americans with Disabilities Act 
(1991).  The large numbers are in inches (USA) and small numbers are 
in millimeters (most other countries).  In general, towel, paper and 
soap dispensers should be mounted at less than 1000 mm. above floor 
level.


Regarding signs and information:

Special attention should be given to signs to assure that they are in 
large contrasting letters which are easily read by persons who are 
partially sighted.  Signs should be placed at a consistent height 
between 1370 mm. and 1675 mm. above floor level.  Attention should be 
given to audible announcements to assist those who are blind or 
partially sighted.  Attention should also be given to making 
information available in alternative formats, including in sign 
language or using teletypewriters for those who are deaf, deafened, or 
hard-of-hearing, as well as information in braille and through raised 
letters on signs to assist those who are blind or partially sighted. 


Regarding doors and entryways:

Doors should open easily so that they can be used by wheelchair riders 
and other persons with disabilities.  Door handle hardware should be 
large and easy to grasp.  The diagrams at top left illustrate two 
types of accessible door handles:  lever handles and loop-type 
handles.  An entryway with a narrow revolving turnstile may exclude 
people with disabilities unless accessible gates or passages are 
provided.


Regarding sanctuaries and auditoriums:

Sanctuaries and other areas for public worship, as well as auditoriums 
of every kind, should always have an accessible entrance, with aisles 
which are at least 915 mm. wide.  Wheelchair accessible viewing 
positions should be provided in the seating space.  If chairs are 
used, a few of the rows can be easily shortened to accommodate 
wheelchairs, as shown in the illustration below.   At least some of 
the seats should be provided with cushions for those with back 
problems and arthritis.  There should be a well-ventilated 
fragrance-free area for use by persons who are chemically sensitive.

This section has provided a brief introduction to access to public 
buildings and houses of worship, which are usually major trip 
destinations in countries around the world.  As with other sections of 
this Guide, these pages just introduce the subject.  The reader is 
referred to the Resources section which follows for more detailed 
information.

Diagram from Accessibility Audit for Churches, Second Edition, Health 
and Welfare Ministries, General Board of Global Ministries, The United 
Methodist Church.


Photo above:  An access ramp within a major hospital in Mexico City 
assists some persons with mobility impairments to access a nearby 
subway station. 

Photo below: A temporary access ramp provided at the headquarters of 
the Northeastern Prefecture of Moscow.

----------
RESOURCES


Readers may contact these selected resources to obtain more 
information about access to transportation and the built environment. 
The list focuses on English-language resources and follows the order 
of the text and illustrations in this guide.  Country and city 
telephone/fax codes are in parentheses.

Getting organized:

There are many excellent disability agencies working at international, 
national, and more local levels in most countries.  Three well-known 
international agencies by and for persons with disabilities are:

Disabled Peoples' International (local chapters, international and 
local advocacy) 
101-7 Evergreen Place
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L 2T3, Canada
Fax: (204) 453-1367
E-mail:  dpi@dpi.org

Mobility International USA (international exchanges, leadership 
training)
P.O. Box 10767
Eugene, Oregon 97440, USA
Fax: (541) 343-6812
E-mail:  info@miusa.org
Web:  www.miusa.org

World Institute on Disability (training in advocacy, leadership & 
economic development)  
510 - 16th Street, Suite 100
Oakland, California 94612, USA
Fax (510) 763-4109
E-mail:  wid@wid.org     
Web:  www.wid.org

Access to sidewalks, pedestrian pathways, and transit stops:

Several illustrations are from Design Guidelines for Pedestrian 
Accessibility.  For a copy,  contact:
Mike Clulow
Alberta Transportation and Utilities
Twin Atria Building
4999 - 98th Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T6B 2X3, Canada
Fax: (403) 427-0783
E-mail:  mclulow@tu.gov.ab.ca

For more information on non-paved pedestrian pathways, contact:
Whole Access
517 A Lincoln Avenue
Redwood City, California 94061, USA
Fax: (650) 369-5242
E-mail:  Waccess@aol.com 
or Waccess@usa.net

For information on stabilizing soils with resin modified emulsion, 
contact:
Julie Stasinowski
P.O. Box 641
Pleasant Grove, California 95668, USA
Fax:  (916) 383-6014
E-mail:  jstasino@hmh.com 
  
For international activities and conferences on road and highway 
construction, contact:
World Road Association, PIARC
Le grande Arche - Paroi Nord, niveau 8
92055 La D fense cedex, France
fax (+33-1) 49 00 02 02
e-mail:  piarc@pratique.fr 


Access to transit stops and transit vehicles: 

Readers may obtain a copy of C.G.B. Mitchell's summary of work on 
accessible transportation, with a focus on North America and Europe, 
titled Access to Transport Systems and Services: An International 
Review.  Another publication, by Tom Geehan, titled Improving 
Transportation Information, discusses visual and audible transit 
information systems which can assist persons with disabilities.  Both 
publications may be requested from:
 Barbara A. Smith
Transportation Development Centre
800 Ren  L vesque Blvd. West, 6th floor
Montreal, Quebec H3B 1X9, Canada
Fax: (514) 283-7158
E-mail:  smith@tc.gc.ca

Transportation providers and their friends may wish to contact major 
national associations for information on organizing at state, 
provincial, or national levels.  The associations listed provide 
publications concerning accessible transportation.  For example, the 
CTAA can be contacted for literature about planning fixed-route and 
paratransit services, including transit service design and scheduling, 
system safety, training of personnel, development of policies for 
drivers and other personnel, performance evaluation, vehicle 
procurement, and vehicle fleet management.

Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA)
1341 G Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20005, USA
Fax: (202) 737-9197
E-mail:  ctaa@ctaa.org
Web:  www.ctaa.org

Community Transportation Association
High Bank, Halton Street, Hyde
Cheshire SK14 2NY, United Kingdom
Fax: (44-161) 366-6685
E-mail:  cta.man@dial.pipex.com

For referral to research at institutions in various countries, 
dedicated to improving accessibility to transportation, as well as a 
list of vendors of accessible vehicles and equipment in the UK and 
western Europe, contact:
C.G.B. Mitchell
17 Tavistock Road
Fleet, Hampshire GU13 8EH, United Kingdom
Fax: (44-1252) 815-920
E-mail: 101326.2263@CompuServe.com

For information on Canadian resources for accessible transportation, 
contact:
Ling Suen
ICSA Inc.
8 Riverside Drive, Suite 1004
St. Lamberg, Quebec J4S 1Y5, Canada
Fax:  (450) 466-4305
E-mail:  suenlicsa@aol.com

For referrals to information about Mexico , contact:
Maria Eugenia Antunez
Cerrada de Cort s #86-1
Colonia Tlacopac San Angel
01040 M xico, D.F., Mexico
Fax: (52-5) 661-49-09
E-mail: maruantu@mail.internet.com.mx

The page 11 lift-illustration is from:
Ricon Corporation (manufactures lifts and ramped vehicles)
12450 Montague Street
Pacoima, California 91331, USA
Fax: (818) 890-3354
Web:   www.riconcorp.com
 
For information concerning low-floor buses contact:
Ann Frye
Mobility Unit
Dept. of Environment, Transport and the Regions
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR, United Kingdom
Fax:  (44-171) 890-6102
E-mail:  frye.mu.detr@gtnet.gov.uk

For information concerning use of platforms for key site access, 
contact Access Exchange International or, in Russia:
Valeria Sviatkina
Konakovskii proezd 6-1-58
125493 Moscow, Russia
Fax: (7-095) 452-30-92

For information on portable lifts for train stations and airports, 
contact:
Chari Smith
Adaptive Engineering Ltd. 
3604 Burnsland Road, S.E.
Calgary, Alberta T2G 3Z2, Canada
Fax: (403) 243-9455
E-mail:  lifts@adaptive.ab.ca

For general information on access to rail systems, contact: 
Paul Fichera
San Francisco Municipal Railway
949 Presidio Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94115, USA
Fax:  (415) 923-6307
E-mail:  mvillena@puc.sf.ca.us

Free publications on accessible transportation, with special emphasis 
on door-to-door "paratransit" services,  are available from:
Project ACTION
700 - 13th Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005, USA
Fax:  (202) 347-4157
E-mail:  projectaction.org

For information on service routes, contact Access Exchange 
International or
Agneta Stahl
Department of Traffic Planning
Lund Institute of Technology
Box 118, S-22100 Lund, Sweden
Fax (464) 610-9132
E-mail:  agneta.stahl@tft.lth.se

For information concerning ramped taxis , contact Ricon Corporation 
(see above), or
Barry Widdowson
London Taxis International
Holyhead Road
Coventry CV5 8JJ, United Kingdom
Fax: (44-1203)572-001

For more information on accessible transportation in Hong Kong, 
contact:
Joseph Kwan
ReHabAid Centre, G/F, Core S
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hunghom, Kowloon
Hong Kong, PRC
Fax: (852) 2364-3327
E-mail:  rcha@hklink.net

For information on access to three-wheeled vehicles (Page 18), 
contact:
Kepha Motorbikes
P.O. Box 7627
Nairobi, Kenya
Fax: (254-2) 44-60-65

For information on access to horses, contact:
Joyce Blatherwick
16485 Roman Creek Road
Frenchtown, Montana 59834, USA
fax (406) 523-4731

Contact Access Exchange international for information on volunteer 
consultants specializing in various aspects of accessible 
transportation.  As time and funds permit, these consultants may be 
able to work without charge if air travel and other local costs are 
paid.  They may also be free to provide tours of accessible 
transportation to visitors to their countries.


Access to trip destinations:

For information on access to buildings and facilities, readers may 
request a copy of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines at:
US Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
1331 "F" Street, NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20004, USA
Fax: (202) 272-5447
The entire document is also on their web site at:   
www.access-board.gov


Many faith traditions and religious denominations have special 
programs to promote access to their facilities.  Readers may contact 
these programs for specific information.


This Guide is published by:

Health and Welfare Ministries
General Board of Global Ministries
The United Methodist Church
475 Riverside Drive, Room 330
New York, New York 10115, USA
Telephone: (212) 870-3870
Fax: (212) 870-3624
E-mail:  wmin@gbgm-umc.org

Publications available from this office include:
C Accessibility Audit for Churches, 2nd Edition, Edited by the Rev. 
Kathy Reeves
C Signs of  Solidarity: Ministry with Persons Who are Deaf, Deafened, 
and Hard of Hearing, by the Rev. Kathy  Black

This Guide is prepared by:
Access Exchange International (AEI)
112 San Pablo Avenue
San Francisco, California 94127, USA
Telephone: (415) 661-6355
Fax: (415) 661-1543
E-mail:  globalride-sf@worldnet.att.net
Access Exchange International is a non-profit agency (NGO) with the 
mission of promoting accessible transportation around the world.

Print copies of this guide may be purchased for US$3.00, including 
shipping, from The United Methodist Church or Access Exchange 
International.  See contact information above.


Reproduction of this document is encouraged.

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End of Document

.

