Philadelphia Disability Group Liberty Resources Urges People to Document Blocked Bus Stops Across the Country
Liberty Resources, Inc., the Center for Independent Living in Philadelphia, issued a call to action to expose a transportation crisis caused by drivers who illegally park at bus stops, blocking people with disabilities from safely accessing public transportation. Liberty Resources urges people to take photos of blocked bus stops across the country to raise awareness for this safety crisis that impacts people with disabilities nationwide.
As evidenced in a new video from Liberty Resources, illegal parking at bus stops makes boarding dangerous and often impossible for wheelchair users because bus operators are unable to properly deploy wheelchair access ramps to the curb if the bus cannot pull up to the curb.
The video is available to view HERE or at https://youtu.be/o1kE-9wQd4A?si=fn95rRu1Yogv2uWx
In a 2023 study, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) found over half of their bus stops along two key routes (the 21 and 42) were obstructed at some point during a typical weekday. Some bus stops were obstructed up to 30 percent of the time.
Blocked bus stops present serious hazards for people with disabilities and seniors. A University of Louisville study found that the majority of transit bus wheelchair incidents occurred when buses were stopped (73 percent), and most of these incidents took place on the lift/ramp (59 percent) or outside the bus before or after boarding or exiting (27 percent).
"Blocked bus stops and curb cut areas are serious impediments to the civil rights of people with disabilities," said Thomas H. Earle, CEO of Liberty Resources. "Our mission at Liberty Resources is to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to all aspects of life in the community. When people cannot safely board or exit buses, their civil rights and their access to opportunities in the community are violated."
"Just one car parked illegally in a bus stop can impact a person's ability to get to their job, school, or appointment on time ? or at all," said Latoya Maddox, Senior Independent Living Specialist of Liberty Resources and Chairperson of the SEPTA Advisory Committee for Accessible Transportation (SAC). "Illegal parking at bus stops is a problem that has been tolerated for far too long. We urge cities to listen to people with disabilities and follow Philadelphia's example to take action to change driver behavior and make buses accessible for our community."
In November 2023, the City of Philadelphia authorized the use of camera-based enforcement of transit zones via cameras mounted on transit buses. This technology is currently used by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City for automated bus lane enforcement and by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) in Washington, DC for automated bus lane and bus stop enforcement.
In New York City, 86% of drivers who receive a citation for parking in a bus lane do not receive a second, indicating that this technology is effective at changing driver behavior.
To share your blocked bus stop photo or video with Liberty Resources, email [email protected] or post on X (Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram using the hashtag #BlockedBusStop.
About Liberty Resources: Liberty Resources, Inc. is a not-for-profit, Consumer-controlled organization that advocates and promotes independent living for all persons with disabilities. As a Center for Independent Living (CIL), Liberty Resources advocates with people with disabilities, individually and collectively to ensure our civil rights and equal access to all aspects of life in the community.
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