Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities (2020) / Chapter Skim
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From page 39... ...
39 4.1 Customer Experience Like the general public, travelers with disabilities use various means of ground transportation to reach the airport: personal vehicles, rides from family or friends, taxis, rideshare (known formally as transportation network companies or TNCs) , rental cars, public transport, courtesy shuttles, and so on.
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40 Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities their customers with disabilities, including older adults. While this may not seem like an innovation, it is a best practice.
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Arriving at Airport by Ground Transportation 41 Airports that operate fixed-route transportation systems are subject to the requirements in 49 CFR Part 37 for commuter bus service operated by public entities (Federal Aviation Administration 2017)
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Figure 4-1. Requirements for accessible ground transportation vehicles -- private operators (Source: Federal Aviation Administration 2016b)
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Arriving at Airport by Ground Transportation 43 4.3 Public Transportation 4.3.1 Transit Buses Public buses were one of the first forms of transportation to partner with airports, making access easier and cheaper for travelers and employees. Public bus stops are typically located on Arrivals or Departures levels at airport terminals.
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44 Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities Built in 1988, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Light Rail airport station is one level up by elevator from baggage claim at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International, with nearby connections for the AirTrain to the Rental Car Center and for the shuttle bus to the International Terminal. Luggage carts are available on the station platform.
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Arriving at Airport by Ground Transportation 45 4.3.3 Paratransit Under the ADA, public entities operating fixed-route transit systems must also provide complementary paratransit service to passengers who, because of a physical or mental disability -- permanent or temporary -- are unable to use the public bus system (49 CFR 37.123)
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46 Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities Open Doors Organization -- operates the centralized dispatch service. Between 2013 and early 2019, the number of wheelchair-accessible taxis/vehicles (WAVs)
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Arriving at Airport by Ground Transportation 47 50 percent or more of its taxicab fleet wheelchair accessible this year (Transportation Research Board 2016)
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48 Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities Drop off is usually curbside at terminals, offering the same convenience as taxis, although this, too, may change as airports act to decongest their roadways. Austin–Bergstrom is an example of an airport that has moved TNC pickup from curbside to a more remote location, specifically on the other side of the parking garage in the rental car pickup area.
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Arriving at Airport by Ground Transportation 49 can use standard automobiles. This includes many people who use manual wheelchairs and smaller scooters and have the ability to self-transfer to a car seat.
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50 Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities Like other modes of transportation operating at airports, courtesy shuttles of all types pay fees for the privilege and are subject to airport oversight. In general, oversight consists primarily of determining locations for pickup and drop off, rather than checking whether travelers with disabilities are receiving equitable service.
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Arriving at Airport by Ground Transportation 51 • Safer, easier boarding of passengers using wheelchairs or other mobility devices; and • An end to lift breakdowns, as well as failures due to poor driver training. The motorcoach has already undergone trials by the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority as part of its express bus service.
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52 Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities A lift-equipped parking shuttle at Cincinnati–Northern Kentucky International Airport takes passengers to and from the airport's ValuPark lot (Figure 4-7)
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Arriving at Airport by Ground Transportation 53 buttons for communicating verbally with the staffed control room and for disability-related assistance. The pod can also be controlled remotely.
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54 Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities • Smart parking car-finding systems to help customers retrieve the location via an app or kiosk; and • Car-finding systems that rely on QR codes mounted in the car park and that the customer can scan before heading to the terminal. Valet parking can benefit older travelers and people with mobility limitations who can afford to pay extra for the service, since the drop-off location is usually curbside at the terminal.
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Arriving at Airport by Ground Transportation 55 In Seattle–Tacoma, the airport uses accessible buses for shuttle service to its CONRAC (Figure 4-9) , and its bus drivers are trained to assist individuals with disabilities in accordance with ADA regulations.
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56 Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities • Remote check-in and bag drop are also available in the lobbies of Disney Resort Hotels so that guests can travel luggage free on the Disney Magical Express buses to Orlando International. Arriving air passengers can enjoy the same convenience and have their luggage picked up from baggage claim and delivered to their hotels.
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Arriving at Airport by Ground Transportation 57 As a result, help points are installed not only at terminal curbsides but also at airport bus and train stations, as well as in parking garages near accessible parking spaces (Figure 4-11)
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58 Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities driving to the airport in a personal vehicle or being dropped off by a family member or friend can present a problem for those who are severely disabled. A growing number of U.S.
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Arriving at Airport by Ground Transportation 59 assisting passengers with disabilities. The solution at Denver International was to create a "Wheelchair Assistance Phone" with a list of carriers and the single-digit number to call to reach their service company (Figure 4-13)
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60 Innovative Solutions to Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities website provides details on what the traveler should tell the airline when making the request -- including the number of bags the passenger will have -- and gives the phone number to call after arrival. The airport's layout also makes ground transportation connections relatively easy for older travelers and others with functional limitations.
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