How to travel with your wheels!
Transport? In our daily life our modes of travelling and just getting from ‘A to B’ are constantly evolving. But does this constant transformation fit into society’s growth in acceptance of people who have disabilities?
Well, the answer to this question is a big “Yes!” which is growing more valid as the years go on. I feel that one of the main reasons that accessibility within our transport system is important, other than the obvious reason of inclusion, is that the majority of wheelchair or mobility aid users who have severe disabilities can not physically drive independently so they need effective transport to get around.
Now, before you venture out into the world there are a few things you will need just to make your lives a bit easier. Three of these things include:
1. A Concession Card. You can use for getting your carer to accompany you to different locations such as events, or on public transport for free or at a discounted rate,
2. A Pensioner’s Opal Card for you to travel on public transport at a discounted rate
3. A MLACK Key for opening accessible public facilities like disabled toilets.
I organised these things about a year ago now with one of my amazing carers, Heather, and I have been extremely thankful for them since. You can easily access these forms online (see links above) and although it’s a bit of a mission mailing these forms off with a passport photo, it does save time in the future eg, prevents time wasted finding a security guard to open a toilet and also saves you a little bit more money for your future adventures.
The four modes of transport that I have chosen to discuss are buses, ferries, trams and trains. I have chosen to analyse these modes of transport because I feel that they are very common in our daily lives particularly in our cities. Personally, I have been amazed with the increasing amount of access on each one of these modes of transport over the years that I have used them.
So, let’s start with buses. These were my very first mode of transport which I tried out in the city then in the Blue Mountains a few years ago. I guess this was my first time that I started to realise how much our society was becoming vastly accessible and adaptable. As you may have seen already, this access starts at the doors before you get in. The buses, usually with the wheelchair sticker on the front, have either a electronic or manual pull down ramp right at the doors especially for wheelchairs, walkers and strollers. As you get into the bus there are allocated spots to park your chair with a large buzzer which you can press to notify the driver when they reach your stop.
Next we have Ferries. Being from the mountains, I am one of those people who just likes to use ferries as ‘novelty rides’ However, I do understand that some people do use them daily just for things like getting to and from work. In terms of access, getting onto the ferry is really pretty simple, this is because the only access for everyone is by a ramp. Once you get on the ferry there is allocated seating for wheelchair users usually both inside or on the outside deck of the ferry. It is for these reasons I feel this is the easiest and the most inclusive form of transport as no extra effort is required to get us wheelchair users on board.
Another mode of transport that is sometimes just as inclusive, with some stations, are trams. To admit, I am pretty new to this transport system myself so, I don’t know the extent which this system is reliable and overall accessible, but from what I have seen the access on them within the city is amazing. For stations like Central Station the tram comes up level with the platform making it simple to roll straight from the platform into the tram. Once you get onto the actual tram, just like on buses, there are about two spots where you are able to park your wheelchair with a button that you need to press when you need the ramp to get out on to the less accessible platforms.
The last mode of transport that I would like to discuss with you is the train network. For me, this is one area which I have had a lot to do with over the past year and I have been just fascinated and really excited with the amount of different places I have been able to travel to while using its different types. While the regular trains that I tend to use a couple of times a fortnight are the Blue Mountains and the Inter-City trains, I have also been lucky enough to go on the Bathurst Bullet and Wollongong trains. In terms of accessibility, I’ve found that this seems to vary between the different types of trains. Being much older, the majority of these access issues are on the Blue Mountain’s trains where there’s no access into the cabin so this means that wheelchairs need to sit in the entrance part of the carriage. Although this is a tiny bit annoying sometimes, I don’t really mind it as there’s always somewhere you can park and basically all of the public and guards on the trains are generally completely understanding and lovely. For this reason, I find the lack of access on these trains completely understandable because looking at the more modern trains, including the Bathurst Bullet, it’s clear that the newly built trains are specifically designed for access and are being rolled out slowly . With all trains in NSW, apart from the new Metro, it is a very important requirement that you need to inform the platform staff or guard on the train, by finding someone or ringing ahead, if you cannot step on to the train yourself and they will get you a ramp. Usually this is a very easy process and will hopefully be made more accessible soon, as we are just in the process of rewarding NSW Rail the ‘Communication Access Symbol’. This will ensure that the rail staff are trained to be able to communicate more effectively with those who have alternative ways of communication, improving independence for a little more of us.
So, there you have it – four forms of public transport that you can use despite the physical limitations you might have. I believe that these transformations in the NSW transport system are a very positive sign that our society is slowly becoming more accessible and making it increasingly easier for us to get out there and go exploring.