OP-ED: Closing the accessibility gap with accessibility-first transit systems

COVID-19 has spurred such enormous technological advancements that make it almost unimaginable to return to the way we lived and operated in pre-pandemic times. People are now benefiting from the after effects of digitization in a number of ways that have simplified things from the way they had previously done them. For example, the travel industry has seen a surge in online trip planning and ticketing, which improves the overall experience for travelers. While advancements have been made, the transportation industry is still behind on addressing the expanding effects of the accessibility gap in public transit.

Approximately 3.6 million Americans with travel-limiting disabilities do not leave their homes because they are disabled or housebound. According to the Bureau of Transportation, over one-third of people with disabilities ages 18-64 make nearly no trips at all because many transportation systems were not designed with them in mind. The inadequate and inaccessible train, road, air, bus and subterranean transportation systems fail much of the disabled population. The travel industry must completely comprehend the demands of all travelers, including the disabled, in order to create new services designed to promote change and close this gap.

Accessibility challenges for the disabled

There is a propensity for transit planners and operators to assume "wheelchair users" when designing accessible solutions, but there is really a much wider spectrum of disabilities, including the elderly, visually impaired, those using crutches or walkers and those who are neurodiverse. Access to healthcare, work, education and social activities is increased when transportation options are improved for people with disabilities.

According to the National Household Travel Survey, 25.5 million Americans have travel-limiting disabilities — that’s just over eight percent of the population. Worldwide, 10 percent of the population has a disability. That equates to 650 million people, 80 percent of whom live in developing countries, many of which are below the poverty line, which has a socioeconomic impact that must be considered.

Another real concern is that fast change, like the move to net zero, may take place without taking the needs of those with disabilities into account. To guarantee disabled people benefit from the switch to more environmentally friendly forms of transportation, it is crucial to take into account the accessibility of electric cars and charge-points for disabled people.

Planning is the first step towards inclusive public transportation

Technology has the ability to bring about significant and long-lasting change in the transportation sector. If it were simpler for people with disabilities to get travel information, they might use public transportation more frequently. In order to offer seamless, integrated and effective mobility solutions that ease everyday commutes, decrease traveler annoyance and improve safety and comfort, transportation agencies and municipal partners must incorporate the appropriate technology.

To build, integrate, implement and operate mobility solutions that are applicable to today's lifestyles and issues, as well as being future-proof, it is crucial that transportation authorities and transit agencies engage with the proper IT partners. The ideal partner will take into account both the demands of users and the organization's goals, which may include developing cutting-edge mobility solutions to control demand and congestion, make travel safer and enable users to make educated and preferred travel decisions.

The importance of selecting the right apps and information systems

Travel is nearly impossible for persons with disabilities unless they are given the information they need to decide how and when to go. In order to assist this decision-making and offer real-time updates, access to the appropriate data and functionality in applications and information systems is essential.

Urban revenue management solutions aid in the modernization of fare collecting systems. This comprises software and technology that give users a quick, easy method to pay for all forms of transportation depending on their preferences, such as mobile payments, contactless payments or account-based ticketing with built-in rate capping, ensuring that everyone always receives the most cost-effective options. The ability to pay via closed-loop smart card systems that can be loaded from home, at retail locations or at ticket machines is crucial for assuring accessibility because not everyone has access to a smartphone or contactless payment device.

Additionally, real-time information that warns disabled travelers of things like a broken elevator or blocked exit can be used to ensure ease of travel in their journey. Options like visual station maps that provide the ability for people with mental disabilities to familiarize themselves with layouts online ahead of time may also be helpful for people who find it difficult to navigate around stations.

Promoting inclusive travel with MaaS (Mobility as a Service)

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is designed to simplify end-to-end transit for people with disabilities. With MaaS, all private and public transportation options available in a city can be combined into a single platform, giving users the option to book, pay for and organize their journey all from a single application.

It may be used in a number of transit-related use cases, such as a small-scale cloud-based, real-time passenger information system, a regional congestion management platform or a sophisticated traffic control system for metropolitan networks. User-based preferences, effective payment for ticketless travel and more environmentally friendly travel are a few advantages. This is an innovative idea for urban transportation and mobility that will serve cities long into the future.

The entire transportation industry, from a tiny bus operator to the largest regional transport authority, is able to provide a dependable transportation experience for their communities thanks to the platform approach and Software-as-a-Service architecture. This combination allows travelers to make informed transit decisions through an integrated customer experience designed with integrated operations and analytics.

Collaboration is key to designing accessibility-first

A significant transportation accessibility gap persists despite extensive ongoing work across public, private and third sector organizations that aims to improve the accessibility of transportation for people with disabilities. This underscores the need for new dialogue, approaches and solutions that deliver noticeable change.

To improve the transportation system and improve travel and city living for everybody, the whole sector—travel suppliers and technology experts—must work together. For instance, a long-term partnership between Cubic Transportation Systems and McMaster University is creating the technological foundation for designing the future of inclusive transportation. This collaboration involves the public, business, academic and governmental sectors.

The good news is that the transportation industry is headed down the right road. The accessibility gap in transportation will eventually close, daily impediments to travel for the disabled will be reduced, infrastructure will be optimized and a better transportation experience will be available to all if accessibility is embraced as a priority, built into future transit solutions and integrated into existing ones.