title: Ramp-related incidents involving wheeled mobility device users during transit bus boarding/alighting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of wheeled mobility device (WhMD) ramp-related incidents while boarding/alighting a public transit bus and to determine whether the frequency of incidents is less when the ramp slope meets the proposed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) maximum allowable limit of ≤9.5°.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community public transportation.
  
  
  METHODS
  WhMD users (N=414) accessing a public transit bus equipped with an instrumented ramp.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of boarding/alighting incidents involving WhMD users and associated ramp slopes; factors affecting incidents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4.6% (n=35) of WhMD users experienced an incident while boarding/alighting a transit bus. Significantly more incidents occurred during boarding (6.3%, n=26) than during alighting (2.2%, n=9) (P<.01), and when the ramp was deployed to street level (mean slope=11.4°) compared with sidewalk level (mean slope=4.2°) (P=.01). The odds ratio for experiencing an incident when the ramp slope exceeded the proposed ADA maximum allowable ramp slope was 5.4 (95% confidence interval, 2.4-12.2; P<.01). The odds ratio for assistance being rendered to board/alight when the ramp slope exceeded the proposed ADA maximum allowable ramp slope was 5.1 (95% confidence interval, 2.9-9.0; P<.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study support the proposed ADA maximum allowable ramp slope of 9.5°. Ramp slopes >9.5° and ramps deployed to street level are associated with a higher frequency of incidents and provision of assistance. Transit agencies should increase awareness among bus operators of the effect kneeling and deployment location (street/sidewalk) have on the ramp slope. In addition, ramp components and the built environment may contribute to incidents. When prescribing WhMDs, skills training must include ascending/descending ramps at slopes encountered during boarding/alighting to ensure safe and independent access to public transit buses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, J.B. Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY. Electronic address: k.bertocci@louisville.edu.
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, J.B. Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY.
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertocci
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, J.B. Speed School of Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smalley
mesh_terms: D001107:Architectural Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D015995:Prevalence; D014910:Wheelchairs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Architectural accessibility; Mobility limitation; Motor vehicles; Transportation; Wheelchairs