Transportation becomes a concern for disabled people on a day-to-day basis, especially if you don’t have a car and rely solely on public transportation. Getting basic facilities— education, employment, and medical treatment— can be challenging for individuals with mobility issues. As per the report, around 13% of the United States general population suffers from physical disability.
Likewise, it’s a prevalent number in the European Union, with over 100 million people of the continent dealing with some sort of disability, as suggested by the most recent report from Eurostar in 2023. Despite a considerable number in the U.S., E.U., and other parts of the world, the convenience for disabled people is often overlooked. The transportation infrastructure in most places— whether by road, rail, sea, or river— falls short of providing hassle-free experiences to disabled individuals.
With thoughtful approaches, these deep-rooted issues can be resolved. This article will address the common problems in transportation for disabled persons while offering feasible solutions.
1) Staff handling public transportation aren’t well-trained
Air travel is a disabled-friendly mode of transportation because most top airlines have proficient employees, providing a great experience to travelers with limited mobility. Moreover, airports offer exclusive wheelchair services, which are available during ticket booking. Unlike air travel, the other modes of public vehicles— trains, light rails, metros, and buses—don’t give similar facilities, largely due to untrained staff.
ALSO READ: 6 Autistic Actors And Actresses from Hollywood
The staff working on various modes of transportation don’t possess the same level of empathy as the airport officials. At times, they may refuse to help a disabled person take any of the transportation. It happens because they don’t need to help disabled passengers. The issue is not only in lack of training but also in miscommunication and limited knowledge of handling a wheelchair, walker, or cane.
Solution: All types of public transport must have well-trained employees capable of handling people with disabilities. They must have a mandatory training program with wheelchairs so they become efficient in escorting disabled passengers.
2) Ride-share taxi rejection
In cities, ride-share taxis have become a primary transportation mode in recent years. Unlike buses or trains, where you are required to share a large space with other people, ride-share taxis provide better privacy and safety. This service can give you the feeling of traveling in your personal car. In the United States, Uber and Lyft are major ride-share taxi services, while Bolt and Grab are market leaders in other parts of the world alongside Uber.
Unfortunately, disabled people find it difficult to book this service due to the high rejection number. The drivers often refuse to take passengers with limited movements. Their cars aren’t usually built to carry disability tools, and the drivers aren’t skilled or patient enough to escort a passenger to a car. Even though services like Uber and Lyft faced lawsuits for discrimination against people with mobility challenges, nothing has been done yet to alter the situation.
Solution: Ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft should take responsibility for such rejections, putting penalties on their employees. If a driver refuses the ride of a disabled individual, it must come with a consequence.
3) Poor Rural Infrastructure
There is a significant infrastructure difference between urban and rural areas. It’s far from perfect in cities. But many urban places offer elevators and dedicated disabled-friendly sidewalks, easing the pressure of transportation for wheelchair chair users. Also, the malls, restaurants, bookstores, and supermarkets offer amenities for disabled people.
Finding similar facilities is unexpected in rural areas. Traveling without a personal vehicle is a daunting task for disabled country folks. Picture this: you are stuck in the middle of a road passing through a green paddy field with no public transportation— only the fresh air and miles of farmland. This could be the worst possible scenario for a disabled person.
ALSO READ: 5 Best U.S. Destinations for Disabled Solo Travelers
Solution: Building a better infrastructure in rural areas should be cooperation between local people and the government. The typical one-way roads should be flanked by sidewalks for pedestrians, which will open the door for easy transportation of disabled people without overreliance on personal vehicles. In addition to this, poor lighting is prevalent in several rural areas, making it difficult to travel at night without a car. Roadside light poles are necessary and this basic infrastructure development is needed not just for disabled people but for the entire community.
4) Lack of accessible restrooms
Imagine you take a bus or train, but the body hints at a bowel movement, perhaps from a heavy breakfast in your hungry stomach or the previous night’s full-blown feast. In such a situation, finding a public toilet becomes an absolute necessity to avoid any uncomfortable public embarrassment. While these critical situations are already challenging for normal people, they turn out to be a —boom, a disaster— for disabled people.
Whether in the United States or Europe, most public restrooms still don’t consider disabled people’s convenience. An accessible toilet has a bigger space, elevated toilet seats, and a holding bar, designed for people in wheelchairs. Furthermore, the sinks, handwashing stations, and hand dryers are placed lower than normal in all bathrooms. Unfortunately, only a handful of public bathrooms provide these facilities.
Solution: The disabled community should be a top priority when building public restrooms. Over 70 million American adults have a disability, so accessible washrooms are non-negotiable—just like gender-specific bathrooms. Implementing the policy of building accessible public washrooms everywhere is like giving a cheat code to the whole community for better living and transportation.
5) Lack of affordability in public transportation
Life is a roller coaster ride with ups and downs, twists and turns— it’s even bumpier for the limited mobility community. With common public transportation like buses, trains, or light rails lacking basic facilities for accessible passengers, booking taxis or private transportation comes at a high price tag.
Because of limited movements, many disabled folks struggle financially and are unable to land well-paying jobs. Hence, renting a private car isn’t always a feasible transportation option. It’s one of the major common problems in transportation for disabled people.
Solution: People with limited mobility should be given equal opportunities at workplaces— let’s make sure everyone gets a fair shot. Upon proper training of their drivers, the renting private car companies should think of giving a discount to disabled passengers, encouraging them to travel more.
ALSO READ: 6 Mistakes To Avoid In Wheelchair Air Travel
