"JANICE, THAT MEANS FREEDOM"

An intercity bus that has an elevator that lifts wheelchair passengers inside the bus, and not outside as in earlier versions, and allows them to sit with other passengers, has been developed in Canada. Prompted by a 1981 Canadian House of Commons report on the needs of the disabled, the Canadian Charter of Rights of April 1982 (the world's only constitutional document protecting teh rights of disabled people), and the Amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act in July 1983, Transport Canada, in collaboration witt Motor Coach Industries Ltd. of Winnipeg and the Ottawa engineering firm of TES Ltd., developed a prototype which was demonstrated in Newfoundland where intercity buses are the only surface links between cities and towns. A second version with 8 folding seats that can be occupied by ableloaded passengers when the space is not being used by disabled people (Previously, eight seats had to be removed to accomodate 2 wheelchairs) is now in production. Ironically, the bus is popular among transit agencies in the U.S. because of a Federal subsidy of the purchase of accessible urban and suburban bases. A potential market for 150 thousand buses on US commuter routes is forecast.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transport Canada

  330 Sparks Street, Tower C, 8th Floor
  Ottawa, Ontario  Canada  K1A 0N5
• Authors:
  • Twidale, P
• Publication Date: 1985

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 6-10
• Serial:
  • Transpo 85
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Transport Canada

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accessibility; Bus transportation; Development; Equity; Intercity bus lines; Market share; Persons with disabilities; Research; Vehicle design; Wheelchair lifts
• Uncontrolled Terms: Research and development
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Motor Carriers; Planning and Forecasting; Research; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00454488
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1986 12:00AM