For example, with more than 100 private bus operators in Buenos Aires, phasing in 10,000 low-floor buses in a manner that invites use by persons with disabilities is a difficult task, especially during initial years of deployment when a relatively low percentage of buses are accessible. These problems are mitigated at new stations, where vertical elevators can be included in the original construction. A larger issue is the ongoing need to coordinate access to the infrastructure with access to transit stops and stations. For example, curb ramps in Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and San Jose, Costa Rica, tend to have steeper sides than those in North America, construction quality varies, and many cities must cope with narrow and often obstructed or broken sidewalks. In addition, accessible services are seldom found outside major cities, leaving the majority of persons with disabilities in Latin America without transportation.
Access is the same for both passengers with disabilities and others.
In Buenos Aires, user-friendly features on low floor buses include sets of horizontal rails positioned to allow some standees to lean back, take some of their weight off their feet, and enjoy a more stable ride. Trends in accessible transportation and universal design in Latin America will be reviewed at a Jan. 13 workshop at the APTA offices in Washington, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sponsored by Access Exchange International, the workshop will discuss trends, applicability of best practices to North American transit systems, access challenges in some of Latin America's large transit systems, and ways in which American and Canadian agencies can assist the development of accessible transportation for disabled persons and seniors in Latin America. Access Exchange International is a nonprofit agency with the sole mission of promoting access to transportation in regions where access features are often lacking, typically in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In past years, AEI has used U.S. government grants to work on both paratransit and fixed route access planning in Moscow, Russia, and Johannesburg, South Africa.