Comfort and Safety as Perceived by Wheelchair-Seated Bus Passengers

Wheelchair-seated passengers on European and Swedish urban transit buses can travel rearwards, resting against a bulkhead, without the use of tie-down equipment. However, users sometimes disapprove of being the only passengers who have to travel rearwards, and also unrestrained. In order to investigate comfort and safety as perceived by wheelchair-seated bus passengers riding either forwards or rearwards, an experimental field study was carried out. Participating subjects were 31 wheelchair users and a group of 44 ambulant passengers. Each subject made two consecutive, identical 15-minute trips, randomly beginning either forwards or backwards, and interviews were conducted after each trip. During the trips, three-axis bus motion was recorded. The concept of categorization was used as a theoretical background and basis for discussion of the comfort and safety constructs. The results indicated that while the majority preferred the forward-facing position regarding comfort issues, a minority felt that the level of perceived safety was better. Wheelchair-seated passengers were more positive towards the rearward position than the ambulant group.

• Record URL:
  http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/03081060701390890
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1767712
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from Taylor and Francis
• Authors:
  • Wretstrand, Anders
• Publication Date: 2007-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 205-224
• Serial:
  • Transportation Planning and Technology
  • Volume: 30
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis
  • ISSN: 0308-1060
  • Serial URL: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/03081060.html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Field studies; Passenger comfort; Passengers; Persons with disabilities; Transit buses; Transit safety; Wheelchairs
• Geographic Terms: Europe
• Subject Areas: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01054083
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 16 2007 2:11PM