[nagdu] bringing shopping carts on the bus

[Steven Johnson]

All,
There may be other remarks in this thread, so if I am repeating, please
excuse.  These buses that are low-floor are also known as single step
access, curb access or the like.  For those who do have additional
challenges, the driver can deploy the kneeler which lowers it even more.
The nice thing is that these are also the ramps for the chairs which are not
only hydraulic and automatic, but if they fail, can be simply manually
operated and deployed and retracted.  Our system has all buses like this
with the exception of 3, which will be replaced this coming January with 3
CNG or Conpressed Natural Gas buses with the same features.  Being on the
transit board has its advantages when it comes to access concerns.

Steve & Bennett

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of d m gina
Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 12:45 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nagdu] bringing shopping carts on the bus

The first time I got on a low buss or the one step buss, I was told this was
a one step so I lifted my foot high, I sure felt silly when I didn't need to
do that.
The instructor and I both laughed.
this would be nice for the van door to door if it had a one step instead of
like a buss with four steps.
then when the driver doesn't get near the door, I have them put their hand
under my elbo where my cane is so I have the balance to step out further.
The thing I hate is when you step between the curb and the van step or buss.
Just doesn't feel good at all.
Now on this topic, I have been trained several ways how to get off with a
dog, One is to let the dog let you know how many or how far the step is to
the sidewalk is.
the problem I have with this, is the dog tends to get out of control when
the driver starts talking to the dog.
So I have the dog sit at the first step and I get off.
I also won't have the dog running up steps.
We must go up together.
I think it is the eye contact with the driver.
I will be entertained to see how seeing eye does it.
Original message:
> Oh, those low floor busses sound nice. I guess our transit company 
> just bought some new busses, which is a big controversy, but I'm 
> wondering what they are like.

> We have various models of light rail cars, so that's confusing all the 
> time. /lol/ People will put their bikes on hooks near the doors, which 
> is a nightmare sometimes. I'm always brushing them with my head and 
> stuff, just feeling them in time to miss them as I'm getting on or off.
> Once I was getting off in an underground station I hadn't navigated 
> before, and as my dog got off, I got spun around as a handlebar hooked 
> my backpack. Scared me to death, because I was one of the last ones 
> off, so the doors were surely about to close! With my dog's leash 
> right in the way. So I threw away the leash and got myself untangled 
> and barely made it off to find my dog with the doors almost closing on 
> me. Then things were echoing in there, and I was all in a kerpfuffle 
> to begin with, so that was fun. Yikes! My overactive imagination can 
> go to town at times like that, making everything much, much more 
> exciting. My friends, unaware that anything was going on behind them, 
> had gone ahead to the elevator, so I was standing there all alone and
utterly lost...
> But Mitzi came back when I called her, then led me to the elevator 
> where she had seen my friends go up, and it was all good. Naturally, 
> there was a training session from GDB going on in the same area, so as 
> I collected my loose guide dog and walked by one of them waiting to 
> board with her trainee, I got to hear the snort of disgust. Well, I 
> suppose my way of handling that counts as bad form, but... Letting the 
> leash get hung up would be worse form and result in much damage to the 
> dog, so I don't regret my decision. The dog was safe, unharmed, and 
> came when I called, knowing where we needed to go to catch up with our 
> group. So it worked out. /grin/

> Still, I have learned to be more cautious at those doors when I am 
> wearing a backpack or a coat with a hood or anything, and it seems 
> Mitzi takes me more to the center when we're getting off now. It was 
> really crowded that day, and a bunch of people were getting off at 
> that stop, so there was jostling.

> Ah, well. As long as it turns out safe. Still, I'm interested to find 
> out if those new wonder busses are easier to get off and on than the 
> ones we have now.

> Tami

> On 06/09/2012 09:42 AM, Lyn Gwizdak wrote:
>> Sounds like you have the low-floor buses that run on natural gas. We 
>> have those here. Our trolley system is converting to the new 
>> low-floor trains and both are easy to get on with a cart and the dog. 
>> On the trolleys, there is a step up to get to more seats but I found 
>> that my dog's harness gets caught on something and I needed the 
>> driver to get it loose so I could get off! There is the same thing on 
>> the buses so I don't go back there.

>> Lyn and landon
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jenny Keller" 
>> <jlperdue3 at gmail.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, June 08, 2012 6:10 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] bringing shopping carts on the bus


>>> The places where the wheelchairs go are behind the wheel of the bus 
>>> behind the driver and also on the other side of the isle. they're 
>>> the seats that sit sideways.

>>> If I fold those seats up, I won't have anywhere to sit will I?

>>> Maybe I'm a little lost or confused. that happens a lot, smile.

>>> thanks for your help.

>>> Jenny
>>> On Jun 8, 2012, at 7:29 PM, Criminal Justice Major wrote:

>>>> Hi, Jenny,
>>>> That's why I try to do my grocery or regular shopping early in the 
>>>> morning or during off peak hours with the fold up cart so I'll be 
>>>> able to use the areas of where wheelchairs would normally go.
>>>> We have buses here that have two steps in the back as well.
>>>> When I've utilized those areas, I fold up one of the seats so the 
>>>> cart's not in the aisle directly.
>>>> You can ask the driver or passenger if they could help you fold up 
>>>> one of the seats.
>>>> There's a lever on the bottom that you pull forward and the chair 
>>>> should go up automatically.
>>>> To put it back down, simply pull the lever again and it would come 
>>>> back down.
>>>> Hope this helps.
>>>> Bibi
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