01551759

Component

In this paper, the authors examine the needs of disabled residents of La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia with regards to public transit. Through semi-structured interviews with people with mobility impairments, they identify the most pressing problems as seen by disabled people themselves. They find that, while the transit system in LP/EA fails to meet any standard of physical accessibility, respondents were more concerned with the lack of support from drivers and fellow passengers than with the physical condition of streets and vehicles. Pervasive discrimination from bus operators results in long wait times and the obligatory use of more expensive modes of transport such as taxis. Overcoming these barriers is vital for the social inclusion of disabled residents. The authors trace these problems to the economic incentives created by the region’s informal transit system. Respondents favorably evaluate recent efforts by the municipality to create a formal transit system. They argue that the continuation of such efforts is the best opportunity to improve mobility for disabled residents. However, it is imperative that policymakers devote attention to the human aspects of transit service rather than just the physical design.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ABE60 Accessible Transportation and Mobility.

01550057

15-4481

English

17p

2015

Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; References; Tables

Accessibility; Mobility; Persons with disabilities; Public transit; Social factors; Social inclusion; Transportation disadvantaged persons

El Alto (Bolivia); La Paz (Bolivia)

Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2015 Paper #15-4481

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 30 2014 1:28PM