Tips for bus drivers
How to assist disabled and older people
It’s helpful if you come right up to the bus stop. There may be older and disabled people waiting who haven’t seen you if you are in a line of buses at the bus stop.
Where you can, pull right into the kerb. Even a small gap between the pavement and the bus can be quite challenging for a mobility-impaired person to step over!
Kneeling the bus makes it easier
If you can’t deploy the wheelchair ramp the first time, don’t give up!
for older and disabled people to board, especially people using walking sticks or crutches. Not all disabled people ‘look disabled’! Many impairments are invisible so never
Sometimes repositioning the bus and trying again can work. If this still doesn’t work, then explain to the wheelchair user that you will have to go on to the next stop.
question anyone’s right to a Freedom Pass.
Wait for people to find a seat or be
safely holding on before moving off. Those extra few seconds help us get to a seat safely. If a wheelchair or scooter user needs to board, ask for buggies to be folded to make room. Sometimes buggies and wheelchairs can share the space. When you remind buggy users about wheelchair priority, it makes a big difference in enabling wheelchair users to feel confident to travel.
Thanks for your h
elp!
Look for: transportforall
Tel 020 7737 2339 Email contactus@transportforall.org.uk Website www.transportforall.org.uk
TfA is registered charity No.1063733 and a company limited by guarantee No.3337948