Seat belts & wheelchairs on the Disney busses

[lizzyb5280]

Just stumbled across this article and it got me wondering what the belt policy is on the Disney busses. I "assuming" they'll at least strap down the chair, but are there also lap/shoulder belts for w/c riders? I've ridden lots of public transit in my chair, and I'd say belt use has been about 50/50, though most at least strap the chair down.

AP: Bus seat belt laws mostly exclude wheelchairs

 

[ShhhQ]

From my experience... they always strap down chairs and ECV's but I don't see many enforcing the wearing belts... which is a strap that goes on the waist not shoulders.

That said, I am able to transfer off my ECV to take a regular seat... I highly recommend doing this if possible (I know some are unable to transfer). Our first trip in 2007, a bus driver didn't secure my ECV well enough and it tipped over, with me on it!! The driver stopped and refastened it, I moved to a regular seat and almost always do so anymore.

Here is a pic of my ECV after it was refastened... to give you an idea of how they are fastened...

 

[SueM in MN]

ECVs are always tied down. There is a sign on the bus near the securement spot that advising guests using ECVs to move to a bus seat.
As the prior poster mentioned, ECVs can ( and have) tipped over. Most do not have good securement spots and with a rider sitting on it, the center of gravity is high, making it easier to tip.

Wheelchairs are always tied down unless they are unoccupied and folded with someone holding them. About 50-75% of the time, the driver either asks us if we want a seatbelt for DD. If they don't offer, I tell the driver we need the seatbelt. They do actually have shoulder belts. They are not a combination lap/shoulder belt like in cars, but have a separate piece that links onto or into the seat belt. We are almost never offered the shoulder portion.

 

[MsEsty]

Sorry to jump in and ask a question - are the buses able to hold two scooters?

 

[peemagg]

Most hold only two, there are some new ones that hold 3.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sorry to jump in and ask a question - are the buses able to hold two scooters?

Yes.
The picture above shows 2 in place. There are 2 seats on the driver's side of the bus that can each be raised to make room for 1 ECV or wheelchair.
There are are also a few buses that have an additional seat that can be raised on the opposite side of the bus that can be raised. Those buses can hold a total of 3.
The bus has places for up to 2-3, but depending on conditions, the spots may or may not all be usable.
It may not be possible to load any wheelchairs/ECVs if the bus is too full when the person with a wheelchair or ECV arrives.
If one wheelchair or ECV is already loaded in the spot right across from the door, there may not be space for a second wheelchair or ECV to get by the one already on the bus to be loaded. This is especially a problem on the oldest buses with lifts since getting off the lift requires more room.
And, depending on the skill of the person using the wheelchair/ECV, they may need more room for manouvering.

 

[MsEsty]

Thank you for all the answers!

 

[Debbie-TN]

Usually the bus driver has my cousin move off the ECV and sit in a seat. However, a few times they told her to stay on it. When she stays on it, they tie down the ECV and then put a seatbelt around her. It doesn't happen that often, but they are very careful about strapping everything down.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Just stumbled across this article and it got me wondering what the belt policy is on the Disney busses. I "assuming" they'll at least strap down the chair, but are there also lap/shoulder belts for w/c riders? I've ridden lots of public transit in my chair, and I'd say belt use has been about 50/50, though most at least strap the chair down.

AP: Bus seat belt laws mostly exclude wheelchairs

I'm pretty sure the above article is pointing out when special needs riders are transported in specialized buses (ie kids to school or groups of special needs adults) or Paratransit. This is a huge issue and the article points out specific instances only on Paratransit vehicles

I may be misunderstanding the gist of the article but in most cases of transporting a wheelchair or ECV on a "public" type of transport where other passengers are NOT belted then I wouldn't have the expectation that the occupant of the wheelchair or ECV would be belted either.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

First up, I yet again agree with Sue. My experience hits about the same %.

Did notice that there seems to be made a difference between manual chair users and poewrchair users by some busdrivers offering seatbelts or not during my time on the busses. This was even more obvious last year when doing a trip with a friend in a manual chair. Both of us on the same bus, me being offered without asking, she not so.

Usually the bus driver has my cousin move off the ECV and sit in a seat. However, a few times they told her to stay on it. When she stays on it, they tie down the ECV and then put a seatbelt around her. It doesn't happen that often, but they are very careful about strapping everything down.

Please tell your cousin to never stay on the ECV! It is not safe, an ECV is not made to be used during transportation. Staying on it, even with a seatbelt on, can result in nasty situations.

From my experience... they always strap down chairs and ECV's but I don't see many enforcing the wearing belts... which is a strap that goes on the waist not shoulders.

This actually isn't true. It can be that you simply didn't see the shoulderbelt as they are seperate. They first put the seatbelt on, then a shoulderbelt that clicks onto the seatbelt. The seatbelt therefor can be used seperately, the shoulder one can not. Of the times busdrivers initiated beltusage I've had it happen about 20-25% of the time where drivers would ask if I wanted one or 2 straps, rest of the times they would grab both belts on their own initiative.

Some busses do have some problems with the shoulderbelt being easy to pull out though. Seems to happen most on older busses, but on a fair amount of busses it does take the driver a good hard tug -or more- to pull the belt past it's point of being 'stuck' before they can put it on and it operating as it should be. Very few of the busses I've ran into had this to such an extend it was simply impossible to move part of the belts, leaving them unusable.

 

[Capt. Barbosa]

I was just there (April 24th 7n) with DW in a manual WC the bus drivers used the seat belt every time after securing the chair, both lap and shoulder belts.

 

[ShhhQ]

This actually isn't true. It can be that you simply didn't see the shoulderbelt as they are seperate. They first put the seatbelt on, then a shoulderbelt that clicks onto the seatbelt. The seatbelt therefor can be used seperately, the shoulder one can not. Of the times busdrivers initiated beltusage I've had it happen about 20-25% of the time where drivers would ask if I wanted one or 2 straps, rest of the times they would grab both belts on their own initiative.

Some busses do have some problems with the shoulderbelt being easy to pull out though. Seems to happen most on older busses, but on a fair amount of busses it does take the driver a good hard tug -or more- to pull the belt past it's point of being 'stuck' before they can put it on and it operating as it should be. Very few of the busses I've ran into had this to such an extend it was simply impossible to move part of the belts, leaving them unusable.

Ok... the few times that I have seen a bus driver insist that someone wear a seatbelt, it was just the lap belt not a shoulder belt (and that hasn't been often). I even had one instance where the driver refused to even fasten down the ECV... I wasn't sitting on it, but was scared the whole trip that it would tip.... I sat on the seat right next to it and held onto it the whole time to keep it from tipping if it did... it didn't!

I was only speaking from my own personal experience.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

I was just there (April 24th 7n) with DW in a manual WC the bus drivers used the seat belt every time after securing the chair, both lap and shoulder belts.

Good to hear!

 

[cranbiz]

If you ride my bus and stay in the wheelchair, I will put a lap belt on you. I don't offer it, I just do it. I have found that if I ask, then the guest will usually say no and that actually makes more work for me as I then need to call the Ops Center and report that the guest refused the lap belt. What I will do when putting the belt on is say something like, this is to prevent you from coming up and telling me how to drive or something like that. I don't normally pull the shoulder belt for many reasons but mainly, the fact that, unless the chair is perfectly positioned, it doesn't work right. The same goes for power chairs. The shoulder belt has always been optional, if you want it, ask for it.

The only time that I won't put a lap belt on is if the guest already has a seat belt on that is attached to the chair.

Unless you cannot transfer, you don't ride on an ECV on my bus. It's not because I'm a mean old bus driver, it's for your safety. 3 wheel ECV's are notoriously unstable and don't have proper anchor points on them. I am more lenient with 4 wheel ECV's because they are less of a tip hazard. But again, if you stay in it, you get a lap belt.

What I do is company policy, if you get a driver that does not do this, he is not following procedure and can be endangering you and other guests. If a driver does not fasten down an ECV, you should speak to a manager, that is just not safe and the driver needs retraining.

 

[ShhhQ]

If a driver does not fasten down an ECV, you should speak to a manager, that is just not safe and the driver needs retraining.

That is what I thought too, just didn't know what to do about it. So I just made sure it didn't tip!

 

[SueM in MN]

That is what I thought too, just didn't know what to do about it. So I just made sure it didn't tip!

If it was going to tip, you holding on it would likely not keep it from tipping because the ECVs are relatively heavy compared to your ability to hold that weight.
In the disABILITIES FAQs thread, there is some information about how to report a problem. We have even gotten off the bus if it just did not feel safe (we had a driver a few years ago who was only going to tie DD's wheelchair down with 2 ties. We got off, reported him and found out layer that he was pulled off for retraining that same day).

Most of the drivers are conscientious like Cranbiz, but it's up to use users to report those who are notdoing their job.

 

[bidnow5]

I don't ride the buses very often but the last time I did there were no seats to transfer to. The bus driver offered to either ask someone to stand so I could sit or I could stay on my scooter I chose to stay on the scooter he double checked the scooter tie downs and put a lap belt on me. He was a wonderful driver after a few stops he came by and checked the tie downs again.