Atlanta Wheelchair Accessible Bus Study

Details

• Creators:
  Paul, Grant ; Casey, Grant
• Corporate Creators:
  John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Bus Drivers Fixed Routes Passengers Persons With Disabilities Ridership Travel Travel Budgets Travel Costs Urban Transportation Wheelchairs
• Publication/ Report Number:
  UMTA-MA-06-0049-78-10 ; DOT-TSC-UMTA-78-36
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.21949/1527119
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Atlanta (Georgia)
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Abstract:
  This study describes the implementation and operation of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority's fixed-route, subscription service for handicapped individuals. Operational characteristics for the early months of service are also presented. The subscription service, initiated in May 1977, has grown over the first year from a single bus running three daily routes to seven buses running 27 daily and two weekly routes. The buses are all lift equipped and most have 4 wheelchair positions and seventeen seats. As of May 1978, ridership had reached 270 passenger trips per week. New routes are established by grouping trip origin and destination requests into vehicle tours. At least four handicapped passengers must be able to be served in a single tour before that route is incorporated into the system. The dispersion of the desired trip origins and destinations has resulted in low productivities and, consequently, in high passenger trip costs. The net direct operating cost, excluding the extra deadheading due to special garaging requirements, was $12.54 per passenger trip for the first seven weeks of service with only very slight reductions since that time. The major difficulty that users experience with the lift equipment has been getting onto the lift platform unaided. However, with the driver, or social service agency staff, or the passenger's family to assist them, this has not restricted their usage of the system in any way. Mechanically, the lift equipment has performed better than the Authority's maintenance staff expected.
• Format:
  PDF
• Collection(s):
  Volpe Center
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:aa26f113aa99267bec297ec7b0fb2e1fdc9a56540fda5753a99fb7af6900984a
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/11656/dot_11656_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.48 MB ]