Disabilities | Free Full-Text | Public Transport in the Disabling City: A Narrative Ethnography of Dilemmas and Strategies of People with Mobility Disabilities

Appendix A.1. The Fixed-Route Public Bus: Before Boarding

Philbert believes that one of the problems for people with disabilities not using buses has to do with the design of the buses: “Maybe with one or two more adapted seats, we would be more…”. Even Tom believes that they themselves would gain safety by using fixed-route public buses:

The fixed-route public bus is safer than paratransit services, because we have our backs to the traffic, and behind us there is a cushion, which is this thick and bolted to the floor-ceiling. So, if there is an impact, we are pressed against the cushion. Yes, you can get hurt, but there is no danger of flying off again. Unlike the paratransit bus, where you’re facing traffic, and if there’s an impact and you’re badly strapped in, you’re pushed into the entrance.

However, for the participants, it is not just a matter of spontaneously getting on the fixed-route public buses. Even if they are willing to do so, they must check many travel conditions in advance (issues that a person without disabilities who travels on a bus is not confronted with), as Camelia says:

For me, there are always questions before I go out. It’s always an adventure. It’s not saying, “Ah, I’m going to take the bus”, but “Can I take the bus?”. It’s not: “Do I want to?”, it’s: “Can I? Is the weather nice? Is the pavement not slippery? Is there a chance that I’ll find the empty space and be able to board? Will I be able to board and then get off at an accessible stop? So, there are many, many things I need to think about before getting out or considering taking the fixed-route public bus.

For some participants, their personal situations also prevent them from safely taking the fixed-route public bus. Sarah must be accompanied to take the bus and, despite being able to ask for help, this dependence bothers her: “I’m surrounded by friends whom I can ask for favors, but you always have to ask, ask, ask”. She is also worried about her safety on the bus, as she does not have time to sit down and is afraid of losing her balance and falling:

I’ve tried the bus, but it’s difficult because I have to be with someone all the time. I don’t have much balance, so when the bus pulls away, they’re in a hurry and then I understand, there’s another bus behind, another exchange somewhere. They start off and it’s often violent when they do. I need time to sit down and position mywalker.

Rachel, coordinator of the RTC’s inclusion programmes, talks about the challenges faced by people with disabilities on public transport. She mentions the integrated mobility support service (SAMI) programme, where people with physical disabilities test out, in a safe space, boarding and alighting from fixed-route public buses. She explains that the stress of using public transport can be a barrier for some people:

For someone with physical disabilities, testing the fixed-route public bus in everyday life, when there are people at the stop, there are people on the bus, you know, the driver is in a hurry, it’s stressful. You say: “I don’t want to slow down the service. Maybe I won’t be able to”.

For Amber, “the fixed-route public bus is freedom”. She appreciates the predictability and flexibility of the bus routes, allowing her to choose her preferred departure time. For Henry, “having accessible fixed-route public buses allows people with disabilities to develop their autonomy, if they’re young, for example, maybe it can help them get a job and buy a car later on”. However, for him, not taking the fixed-route public bus has to do with his personal situation and with the design of the method of payment for the bus ride:

I’ve almost lost my physical capacity. It’s hard for me to go round the corner in my wheelchair. I already have a head control and a micro-joystick to drive my wheelchair. So, I’m really one of the most dependent users, if you like. I won’t be able to give the driver a ticket.

In Quebec City, winter poses significant challenges for people with mobility disabilities. For Philbert, the condition of pavements and the presence of snow can make transportation inaccessible and discouraging:

In winter, the pavements are in more or less good condition and people don’t like being frozen either, especially people with reduced mobility. So winter is the biggest factor. But there’s the snow clearance factor. It’s not just the cold, it’s the snow clearance. Often, you get to a resort and there are mountains of snow this high and all that. We can’t get to the bus station, and we get discouraged.

For Camelia, winter makes it difficult to go outside and move around the streets safely: “The problem is the pavements, which are not cleared of snow. So, when I go out of my house, at certain times, there’s so much snow that I sink. That’s when I have no choice but to have the paratransit service come and get me at the door”. She shares a traumatic experience of her wheelchair sliding sideways on a snowy pavement: “When I fell out of the wheelchair on a snowy street, I fractured my wrist twice, and after that I was no longer able to go to the toilet or do anything. I was left with a trauma”. For wheelchair users, rainy days pose challenges for finding shelter and using an umbrella while waiting for a bus, as Camelia explains:

I have to take the climate into account. I can go out if it’s sunny. Then, when I’m stuck in the rain, well, where do I hide? I have to wait somewhere to catch a bus. And when you’re in a wheelchair, or with reduced mobility, an umbrella in the wind, when you don’t have enough muscles and all that, it’s the umbrella that’s in charge, not you. And when you’re in a wheelchair, like me, an umbrella is impossible. I can’t take an umbrella with the wind and all. And if I hold it low enough to be able to control it, I can’t see the road. So, it’s downright impossible.

For Sarah, summer brings joy with the vibrant activities in the nearby park, while winter poses challenges that limit her mobility: “In summer, it’s more fun, because if I’m on my own, there’s always something going on, here in the park next to my house. I get out of my house; I don’t need transport, just my walker. But when winter comes, it’s difficult”.

Rachel highlights the importance of considering the entire ecosystem when addressing transportation accessibility: “We’re responsible for ensuring that the bus stop area is accessible. To put up the little accessible bus stop pictogram, not only must the bus stop be accessible, but the pedestrian walkway leading to it must also be accessible, And that’s up to the city government”. For wheelchair users, this accessibility means meeting physical criteria, as Rachel explains: “You have to be able to deploy the ramp safely and allow wheelchair users to move around, not just on the ramp. So, you have to think about the surface, the slopes and the height of the pavement”. The difficulties in achieving inclusive mobility in fixed-route transport arise also from the multiple layers of accessibility required for an obstacle-free journey, as Rachel points out:

At the same stop, sometimes a driver will deploy the bus’s access ramp. But the bus following, with another non-accessible route, will not deploy the access ramp, even if there is one. So, the disabled person will not be able to get on the bus, even if it is at an accessible stop and the entire bus is accessible, because it is not an accessible route.

Appendix A.2. Inside the Fixed-Route Public Bus

The behaviour of some drivers or passengers may make people with disabilities uncomfortable, creating an unpleasant memory of their bus travel experience. Rachel emphasises that the attitudes of both the bus driver and other passengers play a crucial role in making people with disabilities feel welcome on the bus. She points out the importance of addressing the attitudes of both staff and passengers to create an inclusive mobility environment for all. However, according to Rachel, people are not always tolerant and patient in transport:

What I’ve observed is that, at the bus stop, the driver normally deploys the wheelchair access ramp, then the wheelchair user gets on, and then it’s the turn of the others, who have two legs. But often people pull over to get in front of the wheelchair user. The ramp isn’t even deployed and they practically jump over it.

Ernest mentions that there are no more than 100 wheelchair users using fixed-route public buses in Quebec City: “this is nothing, compared to all the passengers they transport daily. So, when I arrive and I’m at a stop and there’s already someone (in a wheelchair) on the bus, I’m really happy”. Camelia describes the difficulties she faces when using an electric wheelchair on public transport. She explains how some people hesitate to move so that their wheelchair can enter the priority space on the bus.

People don’t realise. They think that with the wheelchair you move and then it will position itself, because there’s a sort of beam for safety, but you can’t go straight in, you need to position yourself first. And you’re like, “please, please, please, can you push yourself”. Then some of them push themselves, but just a little, and then you start to explain. That means you have to go forward, sideways, then backwards, so you need a good square of space.

This negotiation process for a seat can be difficult for someone, for example, with communication difficulties. Camelia goes on to recount her experience:

Sometimes you have to ask the people who are already sitting in front to stand up, to fold their seats, to leave room so that we can get in, move back, and then tell them: “Okay, you can now lower the seats in front so that you can sit down”, but in a stop, you have to ask them to stand up.

Camelia admits that these obstacles can make catching the bus a “horrible” experience, as she encounters people who are reluctant to move or are annoyed when asked to make room:

It’s horrible, because you have to keep smiling, you know, there are people you’re going to say to: “Can you move?” and then they’re going to look at you like: “Bloody hell, I wasn’t expecting that, I’m reading, or I’m talking on the phone, you’re disturbing me, you can see it”. Then you say, “No, that’s not it, you’ll have to move again”. So, these are the things that stop you from taking the bus.

Sometimes, Camelia chooses to wait for the next bus rather than face these problems, especially at rush hour: “but in winter it’s a different matter, you can’t do that in Quebec!”. Every mobility experience is unique. For Rowan, for example, travelling on fixed-route public buses is not so bad: “For me, travelling on the fixed-route public bus has always been easy, and finding a seat has been quite easy, because either the driver says, “release the seat” or people do it of their own free will”.

Philbert recounts an incident where he politely approached someone occupying the priority seat on the bus with a pushchair: “some people find it annoying because they’re not patient”. After explaining the situation, the person graciously made room for him: “I asked, ‘Excuse me, this is our only seat’ and she said, ‘Yes sir, no problem’. It’s all in the attitude and the way you ask”. He believes that the attitude and manner of asking can make a difference in such situations. When asked about bus drivers, he expressed satisfaction with their service. Philbert attributes any potential problems to differences in personalities rather than the actions of the drivers: “I’m courteous, always smiling and in a good mood”. This highlights how the way people perceive and react to situations can be influenced by their own personal attitudes.

Amber expresses frustration with bus drivers who, despite seeing her white cane, seem to neglect her needs. She often relies on asking drivers for help to make sure she gets on the right bus, as she may not know the route: “But when I do, the driver will answer in a disturbing way, as if I’m disturbing his day”. Amber also mentions that she gets nervous when travelling on fixed-route public buses because she might miss her stop: “One of the things I don’t like about taking fixed-route transport is that when you press the bell to say, ‘I’m going to stop at this address’, the bus driver goes straight off and pretends not to hear you”.

Rachel, coordinator of the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC)’s inclusion programmes, thinks that RTC bus drivers meet contradictory demands. They ask them, on the one hand, not to delay bus journeys and, on the other, to give the time needed to ensure the safety of users in different disability situations:

This has created tension among the drivers. I call it contradictory injunctions. On the one hand, customers want a fast, reliable service. They need to be able to make their connections. Then, at the same time, we tell them: “Take the time to deploy the ramp. Take the time to talk to someone who needs directions, to answer the question of someone with an intellectual limitation. But don’t start too quickly so that an elderly person has time to sit down”. But that creates tension. What’s more, as there aren’t that many wheelchair users on our buses, the drivers forget how to deploy the ramp, because they don’t deploy it very often.

“Obviously, it’s an organisational problem” admits Rachel, who explains that with new technologies, they can adjust transport times and offer a better service, as long as all drivers “respect road safety, respect what we ask of them in terms of accessibility”. Ernest tells of an incident on the bus where he got caught on the handlebars while boarding the bus, but the driver left without waiting for him to board safely. He held on until he had enough room to manoeuvre with his legs and his wheelchair: “I travelled all the way in the bus holding on to the handlebar, because there was a big pushchair!”. Ernest insists that their priority must always be recognized: “The priority here: I’m the priority! even when it comes to holding the bus handlebar! Then the pushchairs, we’re the first priority, aren’t we?”. This highlights a situation where conflicts could arise in the fixed-route public bus between different kinds of populations and mobility needs. Camelia also reasoned about passenger behaviour in fixed-route public buses:

Already with the negative perception that we have of disability, there are people who seem upset with a disabled person on the bus… That’s the price of disability. That’s what they make me do to find a seat with my wheelchair: beg, plead, ask, when it should be automatic that people see a wheelchair, they settle down, but no.

Rachel notes that attitudes can be a “major barrier to visibility and inclusion”. However, she cautions against assuming that every negative glance from anyone is directed at the person with a disability, as it may be influenced by factors outside the person with a disability:

Let’s say I’m sitting on the bus and I’m in a bad mood for some reason, and then someone in a wheelchair asks for the ramp to be deployed, and then they get on the bus and slow down the bus journey. You know, I then look at the person in the wheelchair with my bad mood eyes, but because I’m in a bad mood for other things. I think people sometimes project, that it’s not always a look from someone who’s upset that the person is disabled.

Rachel mentions running campaigns about travelling together to raise awareness among users (e.g., Voyager ensemble). She shares findings of a focus group with “customers”, in which one wheelchair user said she had returned to paratransit services because of problems with the looks and attitudes of other passengers:

We did a focus group with customers, people with intellectual disabilities, and they said they were being harassed on the bus. Then one person in a wheelchair said, “I’ve already used fixed-route public transport. I went back to STAC (paratransit services) because my life is complicated. My life is more difficult. I don’t want to get on the bus and have to face other people’s stares and attitudes, it’s too much. It’s just too much. That’s why I went back to STAC”.

Appendix A.3. Paratransit Services: Reasons, Rules, Possibilities

Henry recognises the vital role of adapted transport in promoting autonomy and enabling people to lead a full life:

Paratransit has enabled people to become more autonomous, and there are people who also have a life because of it. There are people who started out with paratransit, then worked all their lives that way, thanks to paratransit. They couldn’t get a car, and you can’t just work for a few months in the summer, because in the winter you can’t go anywhere. Climate issues in Quebec mean that we really need a quality transport service, which is currently deteriorating.

Sarah values her freedom, especially when it comes to transport. Paratransit improved her autonomy: “My independence also comes from transport. Paratransit services was a blow to me because it was my independence”. Wilbur appreciates the availability of paratransit services: “we’re lucky to have access to paratransit services, like STAC. If that didn’t exist, we’d be in a lot more trouble”. He recognises that it plays a crucial role in supporting people with disabilities. He acknowledges that occasional reductions in service can lead to complaints: “That’s understandable up to a point, but people forget that it’s a public service, and people tend to take things for granted”. Wilbur believes it is important to remember that this is a public service and reduction in service is not a deliberate attempt to inconvenience people with disabilities:

Then, when it comes down to it, people say: “Yeah, that’s my right, ta ta ta”. Yes, but labour shortages, there are a whole bunch of factors that are uncontrollable, that will lead to a certain deterioration in the service, but it’s not necessarily because of the evil Government that planned everything. There’s no conspiracy to annoy the disabled.

Gregory points out that a limitation of the STAC system is its inability to be spontaneous: “You have to call a day in advance to get a vehicle. There’s no spontaneity. For example, you could decide, now, I’m going to take the bus and I’m going to get there, and I’ll come back. But with STAC, that kind of spontaneity isn’t possible”. Rachel also asserts that STAC paratransit services lack flexibility for users; they must book a day in advance and justify their journey, and, with the crisis in the taxi industry, priority is given to trips related to health, work, and studies:

STAC try to meet all the demand. But it’s not always possible, and then, as I said, they have taxi problems. So, they’re not able to meet all the demand. So, the first demands they meet are for healthcare, work and study. Then leisure, then shopping, that’s going to come later, there are choices to be made.

Tom recalls that Philbert has always managed to book paratransit services by citing a work-related reason: “He says he’s an employee who works here, even though he’s a volunteer, you understand, and the STAC makes it a priority, but someone who calls the STAC and says it’s for leisure, that’s not a priority”. Philbert’s strategy ensures him reliable mobility by identifying himself as an employee. Ellen agrees that paratransit constraints restrict mobility and limit departures due to long travel times and advance booking requirements:

If people had their own vehicle, it would be a 15 or 20 min trip, but because they use paratransit, it’s an hour or an hour and a quarter trip, because they are picking up other users. Paratransit takes so long and is so restrictive that they just get off. We’d like to think about using active transport. If you have to go 2 kilometres, it’s conceivable, but if you’re 60 kilometres, no.

However, for Rachel, paratransit journeys can be lengthy due to shared rides and optimized routes: “It’s still public transport, which means that it’s the others who optimise their routes, but they can pick you up, then at some point pick someone else up, drop someone off, and this adds time to the public transport journey”. She also mentions that some people are bimodal, using STAC mainly in winter and fixed-route public buses otherwise: “in winter they’re in a wheelchair, and they’re on STAC because it’s an accessible door-to-door service”.

Camelia appreciates that the STAC provides door-to-door pickup and operates throughout the day for various purposes: “You can use it for work, for health, you can use it for study, you can use it for pleasure, you can use it to go to a restaurant”. However, she points out a negative aspect, the need to plan a day in advance: “You have to know what you’re going to do before 6.00 p.m. to book for the day after”.

For Amber, “paratransit is very infantilizing. When you call the paratransit service to book it, the question they ask you is: “Is it for home? Is it for work? Is it for leisure? What are you going to do there?”. She points out two negative points of paratransit in her opinion. When she contacts the paratransit service, they ask for the specific time she needs to get to her destination and pick her up at least 30 min earlier than she would be picked up by a fixed-route public bus: “What time do you have to be there, ma’am?”, “I have to be at work at 8.00”, “OK, we’ll pick you up at 6.45”. Well [laughs], I’m a bit lazy, but I like being able to leave at 7:15”.

Another negative point pointed out by participants about paratransit is certain travel rules. According to Amber, the regulations imposed on STAC services forbid passengers from bringing along large shopping bags (something that does not happen on buses). However, as Amber continues reasoning, this poses a significant problem for individuals with disabilities: “you know, people with disabilities don’t earn a lot, let’s face it, a lot of them rely on social assistance, and a lot of them are on their own”. Amber finds it absurd that they are left with the only option of taking a taxi, “which can cost a considerable amount of money—around $30— which in social assistance is a lot of money”.

Wilbur prefers to minimise the use of paratransit because of the extensive planning required, and to rely on the fixed-route public bus instead: “You have to plan too much, especially now, with the delays in making reservations and the problems with transportation. I’m trying more and more to familiarise myself with fixed-route public transport, so I don’t have to take paratransit”. Wilbur finds it difficult to remember all the appointments and times associated with paratransit, whereas taking the bus offers more flexibility with frequent arrivals:

In the organisation of my life, in general, I alternate with teleworking, face-to-face work; there are days when I have to pick up my children from daycare, things like that. So, I have to do a lot of planning. And when you take paratransit, you always have to plan a day or two in advance, arrival time, departure time, all that. It’s hard to remember all these appointments and what time I have to be at what place. Whereas with the bus, you get out of your house, you know it’s coming every 15 min, you get out of your house, you take the bus when it comes, then you get off, then you don’t know what time your activity finishes.

However, for Wilbur, relying on paratransit means missing out on spontaneous opportunities and the chance to visit friends without pre-arranged transport:

Say a friend says: “Will you come to my house?”, I say: “OK. What time does it end?” Well, it ends when you’ve had enough. I can’t say that [laughs]. I have to leave at such and such a time, because I have transport. So, you have to plan ahead. And then, if you plan it like that, you come back at 9.00, and then, at 9.00, everybody’s gone, it’s over, and then you feel that your host would really like to go to bed, but now he’s waiting with you for half an hour, for you to take your transport to go home, or you yourself, you’re fed up, you’d like to go, but you can’t, your transport arrives in an hour. That’s what I find difficult about having a significant disability like that, is that you lose out on a lot of spontaneous opportunities. You know, someone calls you up and says, “Hey, Will, are you coming over to our place today? If they don’t give you a lift, and you don’t know the way by bus, you can’t go, because you would have had to know the day before, to plan your transport, to be able to go.

From another point of view, Philbert appreciates paratransit services for the autonomy they provide: “It allows us to achieve levels of autonomy. When I say, ‘Yes, there’s someone to pick me up, to take me from point A to point B. Wow! Wow, thank you, life!”. He uses mainly paratransit services: “I’ve had paratransit since 1988, and I’ve also tried fixed-route public bus RTC about fifteen times, so when I travel in Quebec City, it’s usually by STAC”.

Ellen highlights people’s desire for autonomy, especially for those with disabilities. Although some Adaptavie members have the knowledge and skills to be very autonomous, they represent a small fraction of the population: “The majority of our members can’t even think about driving”. Some members use their wheelchairs as active transportation, while others rely on paratransit: “some people are confident in their abilities, they will develop their fundamental motor skills in a wheelchair. But there are other people who aren’t comfortable doing that. So, they’ll use paratransit”. Ellen believes that improving accessibility in transportation can increase the autonomy of people with disabilities, allowing more individuals to use fixed-route public transportation and increasing independence within their city: “If we guide them towards fixed-route public transportation, there is a section of the population with disabilities that could become more autonomous”.

Philbert praises the courteous and excellent service provided by STAC paratransit drivers: “They give excellent service: ‘Are you okay? Okay, how are you? Are you wearing your seat belt properly?’ I don’t have a problem with that”. However, he acknowledges that there are difficulties due to drivers’ working conditions and understaffing problems. Philbert believes that resolving these problems would greatly improve the service. He also mentions uncontrollable factors such as traffic and unforeseen events that can cause delays. When asked about improvements, Philbert suggests the provision of rapid transport for medical emergencies to ensure timely access to necessary care. Camelia agrees with the potential challenges faced by subcontracted drivers, who may be inexperienced and receive lower pay: “I think they’re paid less than government employees. So, they may be inexperienced. I wouldn’t say carelessness, but I would say inexperience”.

About drivers, Rachel explains the difference between the STAC driver’s behaviour and that of fixed-route public buses: “The minibus or taxi driver picks the person up at their door, helps them into the vehicle, helps them out when necessary and then takes them to their door. That’s what STAC does; fixed-route public transport doesn’t do that”. The economic cost of both services also makes a big difference, according to Rachel: “STAC is very, very expensive. A trip on STAC, in a minibus, costs 24.75 Canadian dollars a trip. A fixed-route public bus journey costs 4 Canadian dollars”. Wilbur believes that governments understand the value of paratransit despite its costs, as the social impact of not having this service would be far more detrimental: “Otherwise, we’d have people in much more difficult situations”. In the same light, Henry advocates for inclusive mobility and equal opportunities, rather than seeking special privileges or free services:

There are disabled people who want everything for free. But not me. I want a normal life. If I have the means to survive, then to pay for my things. I’m happy with that. To have a better income as a disabled person, to have the poverty line, let’s say, or the minimum guaranteed income. That’s a battle. But having privileges isn’t my battle either. If I want to be privileged because of my disability, I can make a face about it, if they want to give me privileges. That’s not what I want.

Camelia tells us about an individual initiative of community paratransit. She lends her car to friends and acquaintances who need it for various purposes, including helping people with mobility disabilities with their transportation needs. She believes in creating a supportive community where those with adapted cars can assist others who may not have access to reliable transportation:

I used to take my car with someone who drove it, as a passenger. It was for grocery shopping, for pleasure parties, restaurants, outings. Then for work, it was paratransit. I don’t drive. I depend on friends. But I’ve started lending my car. For example, a friend will say to me: “You know what, there’s a disabled person who needs to go to the shopping centre and she needs to go to the restaurant. I’m going to invite her to go with me. Can I take your car?” Okay. So, I started lending her my car. My car was doing community work. [laughs]. One time, an attendant came and told me: there’s a lady who’d like to go to the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de Beaupré, but the paratransit service won’t take her. But she’d like to go and say her prayers there. Can we take your car? Okay, go ahead. I’ve never seen this person before. I used to lend my car and I never got paid, but it could be a possibility for people who have adapted cars to help other disabled people, like a breakdown assistance community, carpooling between people. Because I say to myself: “My car is here”. It doesn’t move any more, it rots. I pay a lot more in repairs when it doesn’t move than I’m going to lose when people use it, you understand, even if they don’t pay me. And I think there are things that even among us, disabled people, some have the means, or that they can help others who don’t have the means, or to help them out. For example, someone who is caught in the middle of the night, then has something to do, then someone lends him the car, because there is something urgent to do, but the paratransit services is closed.

Wilbur points out that it is not only accessibility on buses that will make people use them more; factors such as door-to-door service and the socialisation habits within the paratransit play a role as well:

Even if you made the fixed-route public bus 100% accessible, there are still many who prefer paratransit. It’s door-to-door, some people don’t have a choice, but there are also a lot of people who feel that part of their social life, in any case, is the interaction they have on paratransit, whether it’s with a driver or with other customers.

Although paratransit is a special measure, says Rachel, it is in line with the philosophy of disability: “be able to live as much as possible like everyone else, without any special measures”. She assures us that accessible fixed-route public bus services are not intended to replace paratransit; however, she is not convinced that people who are used to STAC, even if they can, would switch to the fixed-route public bus:

We would never question paratransit. What we’re doing for accessible transport for fixed-route public buses isn’t about doing away with paratransit. That’s just not possible. But it’s very difficult, it’s a challenge, because people are used to paratransit, because it’s an accessible door-to-door service.