EXPLORING THE PERCEPTIONS OF WORKING-AGE DISABLED PEOPLE ON THE INCLUSIVITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17501/25132687.2023.4104Keywords:
disability, impairments, public transport, Gauteng, South AfricaAbstract
Despite efforts towards accessible public transportation, there is sparse knowledge that reviews the impact or perception of these efforts from the voice of individuals with various types of impairments on various types of available transport modes. This limits the development of user needs-led interventions and subsequently impacts their socio-economic participation. The perceptions of working-age users with impairments on each land-based public transport mode, (i) Mini-bus Taxi, (ii) E-hailing or App-based taxi services, (iii) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), (iv) Gautrain-rail, were co-created through a phenomenological lens. To manage the scope of the study, the views of persons who are Deaf and those with hearing, physical and visual impairments were only considered for this study. In-depth interviews were the tools that were used to generate data from the respondents. Respondents had a common view that they still feel excluded in communication, physical infrastructure, and personnel and co-passenger attitudes. Participants observed positive traits, indicating what is working while also shredding their regular commuting challenges, thus frustrating their socio-economic participation. In conclusion, participants demonstrated a keen interest in sharing concrete ideas for improvements on each transport mode, with key measures highlighting subsidies for extra costs due to financial inequities, improved communication through technology, over and above continuous monitoring that is inclusive of user voices.
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