Rocky Mountain News 8/5/83

RTD proposes bus changes for disabled
By Tony Pugh, Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer

The Regional Transportation District, in an open forum with handicapped citizens Thursday, introduced changes designed to make buses more accessible for disabled riders.

Mike Smith, director of transit operations, outlined the proposed improvements, which include a new material to improve traction on bus wheelchair lifts and a metal “kickplate,” designed to minimize wear on lifts from hitting curbs.

A new rotary control panel, said to be easier for drivers to operate, and a new lift wiring system also were introduced.

Although many people in the attendance voiced displeasure with bus driver insensitivity and mechanical failure of the lifts, others expressed gratitude to RTD for its efforts in accommodating handicapped riders.

Bill West, chairman of RTD’s handicapped advisory council, said he is reasonably pleased with RTD officials’ commitment to the disabled community.

“I think they’re committed to making the best of what they’ve been mandated to do, but I believe they have a tendency to focus more on the lifts rather than better driver training,” West said.

Larry Ruiz, 29, typified the problems encountered by handicapped riders. Earlier this week, he was passed up by four buses as he waited at a stop outside Colorado General Hospital, said Ruiz, who is confined to a wheelchair.

The first bus had no lift, the next two buses had lifts, but the drivers did not know how to operate them. After waiting more than two hours, the driver of the fourth bus called a HandyRide disabled vehicle which took Ruiz home. But that lift malfunctioned, Ruiz said. He had to be removed manually.

This gathering was a forerunner to a meeting in late October between the American Public Transit Association and the newly formed American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit.

A spokesman for the access group, Wade Blank, said it will made three demands to the association:
* “Wheelchair accessibility by all public transit systems in the nation.”
* “To serve notice to all bus manufacturers that only wheelchair accessible buses will be purchased by its members.”
* “For the federal government to stand behind this moral position and develop laws and regulations supporting total access for the wheelchair bound public on public transit.”

Created on

Thursday 11 July 2013

Posted on

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Tags

ADAPT - American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit, APTA - American Public Transit Association, bus manufacturers, demands, Denver RTD, driver training, improving lifts, Larry Ruiz, lifts on all NEW buses, Wade Blank

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