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Evaluation of accessible transit buses

Transportation Development Centre

Objective
To evaluate the effectiveness of accessible transit buses as alternative means of meeting the needs of persons with disabilities. The evaluation studied and compared lift-equipped buses in Vancouver with low-floor buses in Victoria.

Description
Independent studies investigated and documented the planning, social, engineering, ergonomic, economic, and environmental effects on transit systems and their passengers.

Results
Results indicated that low-floor transit buses have the following advantages over lift-equipped buses:

  • less expensive
  • fewer operating and maintenance problems
  • lower costs for bus stop modifications
  • lower operating costs due to shorter dwell times at stops
  • greater potential for passenger transferral from special paratransit services
  • easier access for all passengers

Overall, the benefits of accessible transit service were found to outweigh the costs. The results of this project will be used in designing accessible transit buses and in developing transit service policy.

Low-floor transit bus
Low-floor transit bus

Lift-equipped conventional bus
Lift-equipped conventional bus



TDC Contact:
tdccdt@tc.gc.ca
Contractor:
B.C. Transit, Vancouver, British Columbia
Contractor Contact:
B. Chown
Schedule:
October 1993 – March 1997
Funding:
TDC
$190 000
B.C. Transit
$80 000
Project number:
8251
Report:
TP 12709E, An evaluation of accessible transit buses in Vancouver and Victoria, TransVision Consultants Ltd., 1995
A bilingual video is also available on loan from the TDC library.
Date modified:
2010-08-11