#TIL: Paratransit’s untapped potential to improve accessibility of urban transportation
Paratransit such as Auto rickshaws, shared rickshaws, cabs, etc. widen the access to urban transport infrastructure for crores of citizens. In addition to this important function, paratransit can provide safe and affordable options to people who are unable to use the fixed-route transportation such as buses and metro trains on account of disability, temporary injury or age. This #TIL seeks to throw light on this important use of the paratransit system.
In many parts of the world, such as the United States, operators of fixed route bus and train systems are legally mandated to run a supplementary paratransit service exclusively for people with disability (PwD) who are unable to use the public transport service. The obligation to operate a paratransit service is not meant to be a substitute for making the bus and train systems accessible (usable for a PwD). Instead, it aims to compliment the public transport network so as to ensure widest access for all citizens.
In order to be an effective supplementary service as envisaged above, the paratransit system matches the service hours and the service area of the associated fixed-route transport system. These systems operate with vehicles which are equipped to safely and efficiently transport passengers living with a disability. In many countries such as the United States, passengers who are either (a) unable to navigate the public transport system, or (b) unable to get to a point from which they could access the public transport system, or (c) have a temporary need for these services because of injury or some type of temporary disability are eligible to use the paratransit service. For instance, a person who needs an attendant to assist him/her to board or disembark from a bus or a train is eligible to use paratransit service for all trips within the serviceable area. On the other hand, a person with a locomotor disability who is unable to walk to a bus stop 500 meters from his/her house in summers is eligible to use paratransit only during that season. Lastly, to ensure affordability of the service, there are fare capping norms for paratransit services.
In India, there are a few private operators catering to this market segment in select cities such as Mumbai and Bangalore. However, there is potential for exploring how this service could be integrated in the larger urban transport system across the country. Given the experience of international markets, such a supplementary service could dramatically improve the travel experience of lakhs of individuals. Needless to say, the international service models will have to be adapted to fit the Indian context. Furthermore, the Indian operators will have to explore how technology could be used to make the service safe, reliable, affordable, sustainable and scalable.
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