The Challenges Of Wheelchair Securement: Searching For Solutions

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) transportation requirements ushered in a new era of public transportation accessibility for persons with disabilities. This groundbreaking civil rights initiative has given persons with disabilities the same mobility opportunities as others by requiring accessible fixed route transportation, as well as complementary paratransit services for individuals who are unable to use available fixed route services. Among other accessibility mandates, the ADA transportation requirements provide specifications for ensuring that mobility aid devices that meet the definition of “common wheelchair” are properly secured in public transportation vehicles. Although the ADA establishes requirements for the securement of mobility devices, many transit agencies still experience a variety of challenges related to safe and effective securement. As part of the Center for Urban Transportation Research’s (CUTR) National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) program, 270 agencies were surveyed about their securement policies, difficulties, and strategies to assess the scope and magnitude of securement issues currently facing transit agencies and paratransit providers in the United States. Survey respondents provided detailed information about the most commonly used mobility devices and securement equipment, existing securement policies, operator and passenger complaints, securement challenges and strategies, and securement equipmentand/or procedurerelated injuries or incidents. While the results of the survey provide confirmation of the ongoing dilemmas posed by securing “non-common wheelchairs” on transit vehicles, “common wheelchairs” have also proven to be a major issue in safe securement. Specifically, the survey results indicate that certain types of “common wheelchairs”, such as scooters, cannot be adequately secured with currently available securement equipment. The survey findings validate and provide support for initiatives that identify securement solutions that address the needs of both providers and passengers. BACKGROUND