Mobility for everyone - a matrix-based approach to ensure accessibility of public transport

Abstract

The target group of public transport is the general public. Public transport vehicles are the tools that are supposed to meet the mobility needs of a multifaceted population. A central difficulty for transport companies is to ensure accessibility for users with physical or cognitive restrictions. Disabled people, senior citizens and children are examples of groups that face a variety of challenges when they intend to use public transport. In this work a method to identify mobility barriers in a structured and replicable way is described. This method is based on two-dimensional matrices that relate detailed steps and subtasks of a passenger within his or her travel chain to functional components of health, based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as described by the World Health Organization (WHO) (REHADAT, 2022). This matrix offers a systematic approach to understand and analyze the impact of various sets of restrictions on the accessibility and usability of defined modes of public transport.