Universal Accessibility Survey of Transport Modes

Abstract

This article seeks to identify the differences in public transport travel times between individuals with and without disabilities in Santiago, Chile. To accomplish this, a survey was conducted where participants were asked to make identical trips by different modes to a common destination. Participants included those without disabilities, those with reduced mobility, and those who were blind. Participants with a disability were accompanied by an aide for security and to record the main difficulties that they faced. The difference in average travel times between people with and without disabilities was 30%, approximately 18 minutes. The biggest difference occured on trips that involved transfers. For people with reduced mobility, poor system design and deterioration of infrastructure presented the greatest problems, and people with blindness had to depend on a third party. The biggest obstacle, however, was the attitude of the rest of the passengers and the bus drivers, who often did not respect participants’ needs, nor did they provide help. This survey has demonstrated that Santiago’s public transport system is not accessible on an infrastructure as well as a social level. Additional studies should be conducted to include more types of citizens (particularly those with reduced mobility) in an effort to design and implement measures that aim to achieve universal accessibility.