Older adults face limited access to mobility alternatives when public busses are more of an inconvenience then the city had originally intended. For one, city bus routes are often mapped out mainly for commuters, taking riders to the commercial center for work and back out to the suburbs. This often necessitates long and unnecessary trips with transfers to travel around the urban fringe. In addition, buses to the commercial center can be in such a hurry they begin to move before the passenger can even begin to balance and sit down.

Anyone who has ridden a city bus will agree they would like to see the service and the location of stops improved. Still, finding solutions to the challenges and inconveniences of riding public transportation are often met with budget shortfalls and spending cutbacks. Services that used to run every 15-20 minutes stretch further into 30 minute intervals; making it even more difficult for individuals to travel around. With a lack of suitable communication, buses can run either earlier or later than expected and often change schedules without notice—leaving many riders behind. For many older adults reliant on public transportation, these complications can escalate into obstacles that severely limit their access to areas beyond their personal reach.

The University of Buffalo’s Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Accessible Public Transportation has taken on the task of conducting a survey to effectively locate many of the problems that older adults face when using public transit buses. The study investigates getting on and off public buses, circulating inside of buses, understanding the communication and information systems of public buses, as well as issues concerning rider safety.  The information collected from this study will help identify the aspects of using public buses that merit further detailed experimental research in controlled settings.  The survey is focused on including a broad demographic of manufacturers, designers, researchers and riders (of all abilities). Not only are researchers interested in learning about the problems faced on public buses, but also in acquiring feedback on participants’ (1) “best practice” experiences with public transportation in cities they have visited and (2) what they envision for the bus of the future.

You can find more information about the survey and a link to it at the following website. http://www.udeworld.com/surveys/transitbusstudy.html