Disney bus driver question

[PugsNotDrugs]

My mom has to rent one of those electric wheelchairs because she had knee surgery and she's scared to drive it onto the bus! Do any of you know if the bus driver will drive it on there for her? I've never seen any drivers do this, so I thought I'd ask for her.

 

[tobikaye]

I do not think they will drive it up the ramp for her. That part is actually easy. The problem most people have is parking it once on the bus. Just drive it up the ramp and ask the driver to maneuver it into the parking spot once your mom transfers. The driver may ask her to try and get it parked, but if she has trouble, they will usually put it in place. There is a lever at the back of the units to allow you to move the ECV without it being turned on.

My sister was able to drive an EVC great in the parks, but had trouble parking on the bus. I think if we go back and she rents and EVC again, I will have her drive it up and then I will just guide it into place manually, if the driver will let me.

 

[minnie mum]

My mom has to rent one of those electric wheelchairs because she had knee surgery and she's scared to drive it onto the bus! Do any of you know if the bus driver will drive it on there for her? I've never seen any drivers do this, so I thought I'd ask for her.

Tobikaye gave you good advice about managing ecvs. If possible, take her to one of the local big box stores so she can practice using theirs. Especially turning and backing up.

She is not likely to be able to rent a power wheelchair, which is completely different from an ecv. They are very difficult to use, and most places will not rent to someone who doesn't have one of their own at home.

 

[joelkfla]

Disney calls them Electric Convenience Vehicles; the rest of the world (including the rental companies) call them mobility scooters.

Drivers are not required to drive the scooters onto or off of the bus. Some will if asked, others will guide the rider. If your mom is nervous, or gets flustered and might panic, have someone else in the party drive it on for her.

Most drivers will roll the scooter into the wheelchair space once it's on the bus, as long as the rider is willing to transfer off the scooter onto a bus seat. I'm picky about where the scooter is positioned, so I always offer to park it. If the driver doesn't want to do it, again someone else in the party can handle it:

1. Drive the scooter straight up the aisle, past the parking space.
2. Turn off the power and remove the key.
3. Get off the scooter.
4. Move the freewheel lever to neutral. On most scooters, the freewheel lever is on top of the rear fender on either side, and moves forward or rearward. A few have the lever in the rear hidden under the cowling, and it moves up or down.
5. Standing in front of the scooter, maneuver it into the parking space like parallel parking a car. Remember that when pushing it backwards, you'll turn the handlebar opposite to the direction you want to turn. Get it as close to the wall as possible. Leave some room behind it for the driver to access the tie-downs.
6. Return the freewheel lever to the engaged or drive position.

A few more tips:

1. If you ever release the freewheel lever, always make sure it is re-engaged before boarding the scooter, or the scooter can roll away while the rider is trying to board.
2. Make sure the power is off while boarding or getting off a scooter; it's very easy to hit the throttle lever accidentally.
3. When driving onto a bus, make sure both rear wheels make it onto the ramp. Unless you're driving straight on, start the turn far enough away from the bus for the rear wheels to straighten out before reaching the ramp.
4. Conversely, when driving off a bus, keep to the center of the ramp, and don't turn until the rear wheels have reached the bottom of the ramp.
5. Keep the speed down, especially when driving up the ramp, and be prepared for the scooter to accelerate suddenly when it reaches the top of the ramp.