Bus and stroller chair

[MinnieVanMom]

We are going to get or rent the baby jogger liberty push chair and plan to get a stroller as wheel chair tag as we have in the past.

Can we ask the bus driver to just load this as a wheel chair? Will the people in line get mad at us for asking? DS has autism and sensory issues but looks fine. Unfortunately, he won't walk for long periods. I would just hate to be given "the look" for loading up this extra large push chair.
http://www.healthchecksystems.com/babyjogger_Liberty_strollers.cfm

 

[KPeveler]

I think you are allowed to load up with the child in the stroller (i am not sure whether you load first or not), using the ramp or lift.

you will NOT be allowed to leave the child in the stroller on the bus. (I am basing this on the website, which does not say that the stroller is built ad rated for travel)

You WILL have to remove the child, and likely will have to fold the stroller. Only strollers rated and built for travel on motor vehicles are allowed to remain unfolded and with the child in it.

 

[SueM in MN]

KPeveler is correct.

You should get a "stroller as A wheelchair " sticker placed on your stroller at Guest Relations in the first park you go to. The sticker allows your stroller to be treated the same as a wheelchair because it is a mobility device. Although the sticker is just meant for the theme parks/attractions, most of the bus drivers will see it and load the stroller through the back door ramp or lift yhe same as a wheelchair. Many bus drivers are familiar with those strollers and will recognize it even without a stamp. There was a reply to a similar question earlier where cranbiz (a WDW bus driver) said just the same.

As the previous poster pointed out, only special needs strollers that are designed for transport should be tied down and occupied during the bus trip. A stroller that is not designed for transport is not safe to ride in and can get bent just by tying it down.
Even with folding it on the bus, it will be a help to have your child in the stroller to get onto the bus.

 

[jmartinez1895]

They will load you first when they can and yes, some people in the line will get mad, but they don't understand your situation and don't worry about what they think because you will never see them again anyway. Just be sure to get int hte handicap line at the bus stop and when the bus is coming wave at the driver to make sure that they see that you are in that line. If they do not see you have a person in your group walk up to the front door ( try to catch it before it opens) and tell the driver that you have a special neededs child that you need help with and they will be more than happy to help you.

 

[SueM in MN]

There is more information about bus transportation in the disABILITIES FAQs thread. You can get to that thread from a link in my signature.

 

[rolltide13]

We purchased a Stealth Lightning Stroller/Wheelchair specifically with our trips to Disney in mind. We have been here since Sat 1/9 and this is the first time we have used it in the busses. All of the drivers have been fantastic loading us up, and even though we have had some interesting looks when we get on first and there alot of people waiting, getting the transport tie down option was a great move. Our son hooks in and is very safe and secure on our rides. I have only had to tell one driver how to latch him down correctly, all of the others have been very well trained.

I would highly recommend this unit to anyone that needs a stroller/wheelchair that has transport tie downs.

 

[cranbiz]

Yes, not a problem. The red stroller as a wheelchair tag makes things easier too as we can see it. We will let you board from the rear. Just park your self at the wheelchair queue at the bus stop. If you do have a transportation approved stroller, then DS can stay in it. Most drivers will let it go even if your stroller is NOT rated but we will not be liable for any damages to the stroller or DS.

If you have tie down points, help us by marking them with some colored ribbon as some tie down points are not obvious.

 

[Schmeck]

What those people who give 'the look' don't realize is that even if people using the back loading ramp are first on, they are also last off

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

I just give them "the look" back when they do it to us, and my daughter is in a wheelchair/stroller with tie downs.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Yes, not a problem. The red stroller as a wheelchair tag makes things easier too as we can see it. We will let you board from the rear. Just park your self at the wheelchair queue at the bus stop. If you do have a transportation approved stroller, then DS can stay in it. Most drivers will let it go even if your stroller is NOT rated but we will not be liable for any damages to the stroller or DS.

If you have tie down points, help us by marking them with some colored ribbon as some tie down points are not obvious.

Great idea about the coloured ribbons. I will make sure to do that. We are just trying to figure out if we should buy the stroller or rent. Then there is the liberty vs. Axiom. The liberty folds better but the Axiom will last longer.

We have a few months to figure it out. Thanks for the support and letting us know that we can load as a wheelchair.

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> ... "the look" back ...
Do it long enough to see when they are finished.

Note that adults in wheelchairs and scooters should get out and sit on a regular bus seat too, if at all possible.

 

[SueM in MN]

Great idea about the coloured ribbons. I will make sure to do that. We are just trying to figure out if we should buy the stroller or rent. Then there is the liberty vs. Axiom. The liberty folds better but the Axiom will last longer.

We have a few months to figure it out. Thanks for the support and letting us know that we can load as a wheelchair.

Another suggestion instead of ribbons is bright colored tape.
We have some hot pink tape on all the safe tiedown spots for DD’s wheelchair.
You can find bright colored duct tape or some plastic tape (like electrical tape).

>>> ... "the look" back ...
Do it long enough to see when they are finished.

Note that adults in wheelchairs and scooters are expected to get out and sit on a regular bus seat too, if at all possible.

Just scooters.
Because of their high center of gravity, being difficult to tie down securely and the fact that many have 3 wheels, scooters can tip, even if tied down pretty well. It is much safer for someone using a scooter to move to a bus seat and there are signs on the bus advising that.

People can safely stay in a wheelchair on the bus.

 

[KPeveler]

Note that adults in wheelchairs and scooters should get out and sit on a regular bus seat too, if at all possible.

I have never been asked to get out of a wheelchair, and it is perfectly safe to stay in a wc on a bus.

The reason strollers are not safe is that most of them fold "front-to-back" - which means if a bus stops short, the stroller that is tied down can fold with the child inside! Special needs strollers rated and build for transport have more stabilization.

Wheelchairs fold side-to-side, if they fold at all. People in wheelchairs not expected to get out on a bus, but as Sue noted staying on a scooter is unsafe.

To the OP - I would NOT plan on keeping your child in the stroller on the bus. It is very unsafe, unless it is a stroller rated for travel.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

I did order the Baby Jogger Liberty and called customer support regarding the transportation rating. Unfortunately, she didn't have an answer but did say to have the driver attach the strap to the top back bar and to the front axle.

This stroller is 55 inches tall, 29 lbs, and doesn't fold down small like our old Maclaren. Folded it is 18 X 27.5 X 38 DH says he refuses to have them load it via ramp, but I am hoping when he see the size of this stroller he will realize it is huge and not an umbrella stroller.

I don't want to inconvenience the other passengers on the bus by having them wait for us to load and get the look but again the stroller doesn't fold up small and sweet and for the safety of everyone, it needs to be loaded and strapped down.

Thanks for the help with this issue and I hope to post pictures when it arrives next week.

 

[KPeveler]

I did order the Baby Jogger Liberty and called customer support regarding the transportation rating. Unfortunately, she didn't have an answer but did say to have the driver attach the strap to the top back bar and to the front axle.

This stroller is 55 inches tall, 29 lbs, and doesn't fold down small like our old Maclaren. Folded it is 18 X 27.5 X 38 DH says he refuses to have them load it via ramp, but I am hoping when he see the size of this stroller he will realize it is huge and not an umbrella stroller.

I don't want to inconvenience the other passengers on the bus by having them wait for us to load and get the look but again the stroller doesn't fold up small and sweet and for the safety of everyone, it needs to be loaded and strapped down.

Thanks for the help with this issue and I hope to post pictures when it arrives next week.

That tie down strategy does not sound safe at all... Perhaps someone else can chime in, but my understanding is that you cannot tie down by an axle!

You would know if the stroller was rated for transport, there would be special places mounted on the frame to tie down by. The bus drivers are not going to let you keep the child in hte stroller, and the tie down that the company recommended does not sound safe.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

K, I was kinda wondering how it would be safe for the axle also? But we are not going to let him stay in his stroller. Maybe we will have to fold it up. It will be huge but so be it.

 

[SueM in MN]

That tie down strategy does not sound safe at all... Perhaps someone else can chime in, but my understanding is that you cannot tie down by an axle!

You would know if the stroller was rated for transport, there would be special places mounted on the frame to tie down by. The bus drivers are not going to let you keep the child in hte stroller, and the tie down that the company recommended does not sound safe.

Yes, you would be able to see some tiedown loops if it was rated for transport.
I have looked up that stroller before and it is not a ‘transport ready’ .

Even if they told you it was OK to tie down, I would not do so. I know of someone whose stroller got a bent frame just from the act of tying it down since the frame is not designed for that. You will need to fold it and then hold it on the bus. You will see some pretty big strollers folded and held on the bus.