City drives efforts to transport the disabled
In a bid to cater to the needs of its disabled community, the city launched the GO!Durban Dial-A-Ride fleet.
THE new GO!Durban Dial-A-Ride fleet, designed to meet the transport demands of the city’s disabled community, was launched yesterday.
eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Cllr James Nxumalo, presented the 12 new custom-designed and specially adapted ‘midibus’-type vehicles at the event.
The service, said Nxumalo, was introduced in 2011 as the eThekwini Municipality’s initiative and response to the ‘access and mobility needs for people with disabilities (PWD)’.
“The 2012 Census figures revealed that the eThekwini Municipality has about 10 000 people living with disabilities. It is therefore critical that we have plans in place to provide reasonable support to enable their independence and meaningful integration into community life,” said Nxumalo.
“Public transport in South Africa, has been a limiting factor for PWDs’ employment, and how they access health care, and community and social spaces,” he explained.
Currently, over 3 500 people have been registered to the Dial-A-Ride fleet service – with the 12 buses transporting 2 400 people per month. The buses are able to transport five to seven wheelchairs at any given time. There are also fixed seats to cater for people on crutches.
Going forward, the city’s Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (GO!Durban) has, through their designs, made provision for PWDs to facilitate transportation equity. All transport facilities, for example, will encompass wheelchair ramps as well as auditory and visual cues for people with visual and hearing disabilities.
For more information, go to www.godurban.co.za.
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