Journal of Public Transportation Article in Volume 19, Issue 4 (2016) by Andrea Mather, Katharine Hunter-Zaworski. Wheeled mobility devices have been accessing public transit vehicles for decades, and most new rail transit systems are accessible. This has increased ridership by people with disabilities. Side-facing orientation on rail transit vehicles often is considered an option to increase capacity for wheeled mobility devices. This paper reports findings of a study of vehicle dynamics and wheeled mobility device orientation on rail transit vehicles. The study used acceleration data and field observations to evaluate wheeled mobility devices in longitudinal and side-facing orientations on streetcar and light rail vehicles. Results from the study include recommendations for longitudinal-oriented areas for wheeled mobility devices as well as additional public outreach on best practices for passengers who use wheeled mobility devices on rail transit vehicles. View Article
