Commuting and communication: An investigation of taxi drivers’ experiences, attitudes and beliefs about passengers with communication disorders

BACKGROUND One of the most popular means of public transport within South Africa is mini-bus taxis. OBJECTIVES As South Africa is made up of diverse cultures, religions and beliefs, the aim of this study was to explore Johannesburg based taxi drivers' experiences of beliefs about, and attitudes towards passengers who have a communication disability. METHOD Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 mini-bus taxi drivers. RESULTS Interviews revealed that almost all the taxi drivers had encountered passengers with a communication disability, and had an awareness of passengers with a hearing disability as opposed to a speech disability. Furthermore mini-bus taxi drivers generally held a positive view of their passengers with a communication disability. CONCLUSION Study findings contribute to existing literature within the fields of speech pathology and audiology, advocacy groups and policy makers, particularly research studies on participation experiences of persons with communication disabilities related to transportation access. The results of the study should also provide a foundation for disability policy development initiatives with the aim of increasing levels of public awareness.