Advance Mobility Liberty and bus

[MinnieVanMom]

After reading a post about a GAC being abused and stollers, it got me thinking about our new Liberty and loading it on the bus. DH says he is going to fold it up and carry it on because he can. I now wonder about the safety of the other passengers. I would hate for anyone to get bumped by our stroller or for it to take up too much room. DH can carry but I will never be able to safely load DS and stroller by myself.

Would it be better just to wait and load in the rear door for others or let DH be the man and carry it?
http://www.stroller.com/advance-mobility-pushchair-special-needs-liberty-red-47603.html

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I looked carefully at the information in the link. There is nothing which discusses tie-down inside a vehicle, and nothing about tie-down points. Without that it probably does not have the ability to be safely tied down with the straps in the buses and would have to be folded and carried on board. Properly tie it down, which is required for safety if not folde and carried, would probably damage it and bend the axle or frame.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Thank you for the response. When I am having to move around with DS by ourselves I will just ask for help from a person in line. I can't get the stroller up and in by myself.

I wondered if perhaps the driver would consider loading it up the back and then folding it up? Or just loading it and I can fold it when we get on the front.

Cheshire, what options are there for us? Hopefully DH will be with us all the time but I have found there is always an exception and we do get out by ourselves at times.

After having to pay cash for this item, there is no way I want it damaged just to tie down. Folded everytime!!!!

 

[peemagg]

I don't know for certain, but because it is a special needs stroller, you could probably board the bus from the rear and then fold it up. Especially if it was for safety reasons.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Thanks, that is the question, can we load in back for safety of others then fold it up?

 

[SueM in MN]

The bus drivers will sometimes load large strollers thru the rear door that are not special needs strollers. The reason is that the large strollers are just easier to load thru the rear because you can go straight in and avoid bumping other guests.
If you have a 'stroller as a wheelchair' tag, most drivers will treat it as a wheelchair for the bus and load thru the back door. As was already mentioned, a special needs stroller that is not meant to be used for transport should not be tied down with the wheelchair tiedown straps.

A couple of things to remember:
- never load thru the back door unless you are sure the driver has seen you and is OK with you loading there. If the driver can't see you, the door may close unexpectedly.

- if you can, avoid standing in front of or using the wheelchair accessible seats directly across from the back door. That way, if someone needs to board with a wheelchair or ECV, they will be able to.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Our stroller is not a stroller but a SN stroller on steroids. It holds up to 100 lbs and it huge. Our last was the Maclaren, and this has to be twice as large, I don't see how it could be seen as anything but a SN stroller.

DH says that he is going to carry it up from the front all the time and although it doesn't fold small we are going to do all we can to be considerate of others.

If I am alone with DS then I have no choice but to ask for it to be loaded in the rear. I can't pick it up. Then I will ask for help folding it up and do our best but be considerate of the passengers and not bump them either. After having to pay for this because BCBS won't cover anything for autism I don't want to risk anything happening to it being tied down. I hope the driver doesn't get offended but I can't replace this and it needs to last.

 

[SueM in MN]

Our stroller is not a stroller but a SN stroller on steroids. It holds up to 100 lbs and it huge. Our last was the Maclaren, and this has to be twice as large, I don't see how it could be seen as anything but a SN stroller.

I used to say that those special needs strollers did not need a "Stroller as wheelchair" sticker, but that was before they started renting them.
If you hang around the Family Board for a while, you will see that some people are renting those for their older children who they post have no special needs.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Thanks Sue and Cheshire for all the info.

We are going to get the sticker for the bus and just in case the CM's need to see it for shows.

I have learned so much from the posts here and others on this area. We knew WDW well but with our new small adult SN stroller it was like learning all over again for the buses and loading.

 

[cranbiz]

Get the stroller as a wheelchair tag and go ahead and use the back doors. Just make sure the driver see's you. It will be safer for you and the other guests. This is especially true on the RTS bus (lift style) as the aisle is narrow.

We are not allowed to fold or lift your stroller. Now you can ask for the lift/ramp and fold it once on the bus.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Get the stroller as a wheelchair tag and go ahead and use the back doors. Just make sure the driver see's you. It will be safer for you and the other guests. This is especially true on the RTS bus (lift style) as the aisle is narrow.

We are not allowed to fold or lift your stroller. Now you can ask for the lift/ramp and fold it once on the bus.

Thank you so very much. I wrote to you on the other post about the GAC and bus.

I will try very hard to make eye contact with the driver and kinda wave to him as he pulls up. I have explained to DH that for the safety of others we don't want to bounce this huge folded SN stroller. Loading in back will be the best for the passengers and for DS.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

It sounds like loading through the back doors would be the safest, easiest and most sensible option for you. You will need to wait in the wheelchair loading area, and give the driver a little wave (OK, you don't necessarily have to do this, but I just find it easier and less stressful to me if I know that he / she has seen me. Yup, I'm a worrier!). For those stops that don't have marked wheelchair loading areas (a few of the stops at the resorts, mainly the small resort stops), make sure the driver sees you and knows you need the back. If they don't come straight back to load you, you'll need to go up front and tell them you need to load a SN stroller.

I suggest you make use of the lift / ramp, even when your hubby is there. There's no point risking a back injury, when there is another option. It's fine to use the lift and then fold the stroller up - I used to do this when I first started using a wheelchair at Disney, and the drivers are perfectly used to this.

Good luck, and I hope this helps. Have a wonderful trip!