Scandinavian citizens with disabilities benefit from an exemplary level of public
concern and the commitment of policy makers to provide resources adequate to ensure their
mobility. While the U.S. has made huge strides in achieving access for persons with
disabilities since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act seven years ago,
there is still a great deal transit professionals in this country can learn from their
Scandinavian colleagues. One such example is "Service Routes," in the view of
Connie Soper of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in Oakland, Calif., who has
worked for 15 years in providing accessible transportation for the handicapped.
Soper was selected to join a team led by Shirley DeLibero of New Jersey Transit
Corporation that visited three Scandinavian countries last summer to learn firsthand about
innovative transportation arrangements. The Transit Cooperative Research Program provides
professionals such as Soper the opportunity to gain overseas experience and network with
counterparts in other countries. Because of her concern with accessibility, Soper took a
close look at mobility programs in Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.
By Connie L. Soper
Senior Planner
Metropolitan Transportation Commission
Oakland, Calif.
Having long heard about Scandinavia's progressive social policies, I was curious to
learn more about transportation services offered for persons with disabilities and for the
elderly in the cities we visited.
While 10 years ago the Scandinavians (especially the Swedes) were at the forefront of
innovations for accessible services, so much progress has been made in this country since
the passage of the ADA in 1990 that differences now are less apparent. But still, plenty
of lessons can be learned from our Scandinavian counterparts on providing accessible
transportation services.
One could argue that ensuring accessibility on older rail systems is the largest ADA
challenge faced by transit operators in this country. Surprisingly, Scandinavian heavy
rail systems are more accessible than other modes, such as bus or light rail. In Helsinki,
Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Copenhagen, Denmark, rail stations are equipped with
elevators, tactile warning strips for the visually impaired, either low floor or ramped
access to rail cars, and other accommodations.
Stockholm's Metro system, one of the 12 largest in the world, was originally built in
the 1940s. Plans for greater accessibility were adopted in connection with the second
major expansion of the system, completed during the 1960s, when elevators and escalators
were installed in most stations. Further improvements have been made since then.
One innovative feature is an automatic train announcement system, triggered by a sensor
on the platform when a person steps in front of it. A pre-taped announcement informs the
customer when the next train is coming. In the future, elevators will also be equipped
with audible signals to help the visually impaired better navigate the station.
Elevators have been installed next to escalators at a slant (parallel to the
escalators), similar to a funicular. Because of the glass walls and being directly
adjacent to the escalators, elevator passengers can easily signal for assistance should
the elevator malfunction. Furthermore, the glass walls certainly deter vandalism, a
chronic problem in American subways.
American architects and transit planners, especially those having to make key stations
accessible according to ADA standards, can learn from some of the innovative design
features observed in Scandinavia. Many of these features are aesthetically pleasing as
well as practical.
In Copenhagen, for example, the design of the new S-Train takes into consideration the
desire of passengers to see the length of the train. Cars are connected with automatic
glass doors that respond to the touch of a hand. This results in a spacious, open
atmosphere for travelers and also makes passengers feel less vulnerable, a fear that may
keep the elderly or those with mobility impairments from using public transit.
As in the United States, the trend in Scandinavia is to use low floor buses to provide
accessibility to wheelchair users. Throughout Scandinavia, planners were quick to point
out the benefits of low floor buses for other passengers as well, especially parents with
baby strollers.
In both Helsinki and Stockholm, a parent with a baby in a stroller can ride for free,
and bus schedules indicate which vehicles have low floors. The same space designated for
wheelchair users is also made available for strollers, and in some cases special securing
devices for strollers have been installed.
Unlike the extensive transit training efforts in this country, Scandinavia shows little
or no attempt to encourage accessible bus use by wheelchair riders through special
training programs. Because a high level of paratransit service is available, the use of
this alternative mode is promoted actively, even though fixed route service may allow
greater independence for the traveler with disabilities and is more cost-effective for the
transit operator.
In comparison with the extensive requirements of the ADA, in Scandinavia the provision
of transportation is not generally recognized as a responsibility of the transit district.
Rather, paratransit tends to be managed and/or financially supported by social service
agencies.
In all three countries visited, paratransit is extremely well funded. National
legislation in Finland requires that qualified individuals be provided a minimum of 18
trips per month, a standard of service somewhat consistent throughout the region. The
majority of paratransit trips in Helsinki are provided by taxi. To accommodate
wheelchairs, 2,000 of 9,000 taxis are ramped, an unusually high rate compared to other
countries.
The paratransit program in Stockholm is governed by a board within the Stockholm City
Council, and does not operate under the auspices of Stockholm Transit. Its annual budget
is approximately $111 million, or roughly 12 percent of the Stockholm Transit budget.
About 5 percent of the city's population is entitled to receive paratransit services,
which is primarily provided by taxi. Service is provided door-to-door with some personal
assistance from the driver.
The Gothenburg (Sweden) Transit Authority Special Transport Office currently serves
26,000 customers with 100 employees. The system provides 6,500 trips per day (or 2.1
million trips per year) with an annual budget of $30 million. All trips are dispatched
from a central location, and customers can reserve trips up to two weeks ahead. Immediate
demand response trips are available as well.
Paratransit services in Copenhagen have been publicly funded since 1979. Service is
provided with 200 contract vehicles (mini-vans) and is door-to-door, including stair
assistance. The service runs around the clock, seven days a week, and eligible persons are
allowed up to 26 trips per quarter (104 trips per year), although extra trips can be
arranged at a premium cost.
No medically related trips are provided through this program. Half the users are in
wheelchairs, and the average age of a user of the system is 75.5 years old.
Unlike Helsinki and Stockholm, only 2 percent of the trips in Copenhagen are provided
by taxi; the vast majority are provided by mini-vans. Paratransit managers interviewed on
this mission said long-term program goals are to examine methods of improving efficiencies
through improved technology, competitive bidding, and installation of new equipment such
as updated telephone systems.
The application of related technology, such as automated vehicle locators and
geographic information systems, is also being considered but not yet in place. Extensive
use of advanced technology related to paratransit operations was not observed in any of
the cities visited.
In addition to providing some accessible fixed routes and a comprehensive level of
paratransit, the three countries in Scandinavia also operate "service routes," a
unique hybrid of fixed route and paratransit. Originally developed in Sweden, service
routes are now in use throughout that country, as well as in Helsinki and Copenhagen.
Service routes operate with small, low floor vehicles on a designated route and
schedule. The routes have been developed specifically to serve a particular clientele,
usually senior citizens, and tend to be neighborhood-oriented. In many cases, the vehicle
can be flagged down along the route if the rider has difficulty getting to the nearest
stop, and extra assistance is provided by the driver.
In Stockholm, a total of 15 service routes operate between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., at a
frequency of 30 minutes to one hour. The routes have been planned with input from various
constituency groups. Gothenburg has two service routes, and Copenhagen Transit operates
several as well. As with other aspects of transit observed in these countries, the
operation of service routes is competitively bid.
This type of service has a lot of potential for adaptation and implementation in the
United States. To date, transit operator efforts have been focused on providing a
complementary paratransit program that meets standards established in the legislation,
such as a lack of capacity constraints, by the January 1997 deadline. While nearly all
transit operators are currently in compliance with the law, they are struggling to
maintain compliance as demand continues to escalate. Many are employing the use of
technology or seeking other strategies to help them provide paratransit in a more
cost-effective manner.
Some operators (most notably Madison, Wis.) have been experimenting with alternative
service delivery methods such as service routes, but few have had an opportunity or
developed the expertise to do so. In many communities, service routes could be targeted
for persons who are conditionally ADA eligible, or who could use fixed route services if
they were more "user friendly."
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