Public Bus Transportation Systems During the Pandemic: Barriers For Passengers with Disabilities

Öz

Participation in employment, education and social life is a critical challenge for people with disabilities. In order to identify the difficulties that disabled people face throughout the day, it is necessary to understand their characteristics and problems realistically. In this study, the obstacles experienced by disabled passengers who prefer bus transportation to meet their transportation needs, especially in physically accessing the transportation system and obtaining information, were examined and focused on how these obstacles took shape during the pandemic period. In the study, within the framework of a semi-structured survey, 43 disabled passengers were asked to describe the entire process of bus services, from the stage of obtaining information about the journey to reaching the final destination. It was focused on what kind of additional obstacles were created to the experiences and difficulties experienced by disabled passengers during the pandemic precaution measures implemented in Istanbul. It has been determined that the pandemic period and subsequent measures have revealed many additional obstacles, such as psychological distress, for disabled passengers, and that the society should be made aware of the unique characteristics of disabled people (for example, disability is not just a physical issue) and other concerns. One of the results of the study is that service providers and decision makers should consider a more detailed approach depending on the type of disability in the decision-making process.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Public transportation
• Disabled passengers
• Semi-structured interviews
• Transportation barriers
• accessibility

Pandemi Süresinde Halk Otobüsü Sistemleri: Engelli Yolcular İçin Bariyerler

Öz

İstihdama, eğitime ve sosyal hayata katılım, engelliler için kritik bir zorluktur. Engellilerin gün boyunca karşılaştıkları zorlukları tespit etmek için, onların özelliklerini ve sorunlarını gerçekçi bir şekilde anlamak gerekmektedir. Bu çalışmada, ulaşım ihtiyaçlarını karşılamak için otobüsle ulaşımı tercih eden engelli yolcuların özellikle ulaşım sistemine fiziksel olarak erişme ve bilgi edinme konusunda yaşadıkları engeller incelenmiş ve bu engellerin pandemic döneminde nasıl şekil aldığına odaklanılmıştır. Çalışmada yarı yapılandırılmış bir anket çalışması çerçevesinde 43 engelli yolcudan otobüs seferleri hakkında, yolculuğa dair bilgi edinme aşamasından nihai varış noktasına varana kadar tüm süreci nitelendirmeleri istenmiştir. İstanbul'da uygulanan pandemi önlem tedbirleri esnasında engelli yolcuların yaşadıkları deneyim ve zorluklara ne tür ek engeller yarattığı üzerinde durulmuştur. Pandemi dönemi ve müteakip tedbirlerin engelli yolcular için psikolojik sıkıntı gibi birçok ek engeli ortaya çıkardığı ve toplumun engelli kişilerin kendilerine özgü özellikler (örneğin engelliliğin sadece fiziksel yani dışlarıdan görünen bir konu olmadığı) ve diğer endişeleri konusunda bilinçlendirilmesi gerektiği tespit edilmiştir. Hizmet sağlayıcı ve karar vericilerin, karar verme sürecinde engellilik türüne bağlı olarak daha ayrıntılı bir yaklaşımı göz önünde bulundurması gerektiği de çalışmanın sonuçlarındandır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Toplu Taşıma
• Engelli Yolcular
• Yarı Yapılandırılmış Anketler
• Ulaştırma Bariyerleri
• Erişilebilirlik

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