Fiona Russell had never been on a bus before, but now that Go Bus has added specially adapted Volvo buses to its fleet, most wheelchair and powerchair users should be able to use Dunedin’s bus services.
Designs for buses enabling them to used by wheelchair-bound passengers are set by a national standard, and the new Volvo vehicles had been specifically commissioned and designed with that standard in mind, Go Bus operations manager Nigel Piper said. The entire Dunedin urban bus fleet should be wheelchair-accessible, he said.
"The standard dictates accessibility, wheelchair position and distances between seats, and over the past few years all buses have been built to that standard."
Fiona Russell volunteered herself and her power chair for a test drive of the new Volvo bus yesterday. There were a few worrying moments — Ms Russell’s chair tipped up on two wheels both entering and exiting the bus — but the first-time bus passenger was satisfied with the room available for her and enthusiastic about the chance to use buses to get around town.
"It’s good having the ramp up at the front of the bus: if the ramp was at the back it would be more difficult ... There was plenty of space for me to be able to turn around in, but it was a bit hard to see when you were backing your chair into it."
Mr Piper said Go Bus drivers were trained to help disabled passengers and ensure they got on and off buses safely, and should be close at hand if any passengers got into difficulty.
Some stops might also have to be modified to allow enough room for drivers to park safely, then get out to help wheelchair passengers, Mr Piper said.
Road design — especially steepness — would also be an issue for wheelchair passengers, he said. In addition, if stops were too short or other vehicles were parked nearby, it made it difficult for drivers to deploy the access ramp to allow passengers to get on the bus.
"One issue we do have sometimes is the varying height of kerbs; it is something we will have a look at," Mr Piper said.
"If we identify a stop where there are particular issues we will identify them to the council for them to look at."
That reassurances would be welcomed by Ms Russell, who in 2015 featured in the Otago Daily Times raising her concerns over the safety of steep kerbs for wheelchair users.
"We rely on taxis now, but the thing is they don’t always run on time," Ms Russell said yesterday.
"It’s good that we now have the option of using the bus."
- Mike Houlahan
