ECV on DW buses?

[rozilla]

Hello, I am seriously considering renting a scooter for our trip in 19 days (woohoo!) --

However, how will I load the thing onto the DW bus? We are staying at CBR.

Thanks!

Rose

 

[Shorty82]

The disABILITIES sticky at the top of the main disABILITIES forum page has lot of information on boarding busses with wheelchairs and ECVs.

All of Disney busses are equipped with either lifts or ramps and the driver will talk you through the boarding and secure the chair or ECV.

 

[Cheryl592000]

Just curious...I know it's a silly question but, is there a weight limit on the bus lifts when using an ECV? I will be using a "heavy-duty" ECV. Just wondering...always worried.

 

[honugirl]

I doubt there's a weight limit for the ramps on the buses, but for the ones with the actual lifts, there might be. You should be able to call Disney and ask, someone there should know.

Some drivers will ask you to back on, some will let you just drive right on. Once on, you will maneuver into the spot and have tie-downs out on to make sure the scooter doesn't move. Some drivers will let you stay on it and put a seat belt on, others will make you move to a regular seat. Personally, when I had my chair there, I stayed in it because that's one more seat I freed up for the people waiting in the regular line, I could have moved (used the chair to get around after ankle surgery).

If you can get an ECV beforehand and practice, I think it really helps. It's easy to see the people who use one regularly and the ones who don't. It's kind of tight quarters on the bus and if you practice you can usually zip right into the spot with no trouble. It's kind of like parallel parking a car...

 

[SarahA]

I haven't heard of a weight limit, but there are dimension limits. Some of the oversized chairs may be an issue.

 

[SueM in MN]

There are dimension limits (they are posted in the disABILITIES FAQs thread bus information).
There is also information in there about actually driving on. For the lifts, it is recommended to back on, which puts the weight of the driver and ECV closer to the bus, rather than out on the unsupported floor of the lift.
For the buses with ramps, it doesn't matter which way you go on, but if you have a large ECV it may be easier to manouver into the bus spot if you back up.

There are now signs on the buses recommending ECV/scooter users transfer to a seat rather than ride the ECV during the trip. That's because ECVs are not designed to be fastened down and most of the spots where the tiedown straps can be fastened are close to the bottom. That means there is a possibly it could tip over when the bus takes a corner. There are seats right across from the wheelchair spaces that are labeled as needing to be given up if needed for someone with a disability. If the person using the ECV is not riding on it, the bus driver will usually be able to fasten the ECV more securely, higher up over the seat.

Wheelchairs are different since there are many higher places that straps can be fastened.

 

[kimsuenew]

There are dimension limits (they are posted in the disABILITIES FAQs thread bus information).
There is also information in there about actually driving on. For the lifts, it is recommended to back on, which puts the weight of the driver and ECV closer to the bus, rather than out on the unsupported floor of the lift.
For the buses with ramps, it doesn't matter which way you go on, but if you have a large ECV it may be easier to manouver into the bus spot if you back up.

There are now signs on the buses recommending ECV/scooter users transfer to a seat rather than ride the ECV during the trip. That's because ECVs are not designed to be fastened down and most of the spots where the tiedown straps can be fastened are close to the bottom. That means there is a possibly it could tip over when the bus takes a corner. There are seats right across from the wheelchair spaces that are labeled as needing to be given up if needed for someone with a disability. If the person using the ECV is not riding on it, the bus driver will usually be able to fasten the ECV more securely, higher up over the seat.

Wheelchairs are different since there are many higher places that straps can be fastened.

Thank you for the wonderful information!