Higher capacity, more seating and cost savings are three reasons behind the recent decision by the City of Ottawa’s transit commission to approve the approximately $80-million plan to purchase 75 double-decker buses.
Despite the benefits being forwarded by city council, disability advocates worry that the buses will mean more trouble for people in wheelchairs, says community and disabilities advocate Catherine Gardner.
“I think it’s a major mistake,” she says.
According to Gardner, while there will be more seats for passengers, the double-decker buses won’t be creating more space for people with wheelchairs, strollers or walkers.
One of their prime attractions, double-decker buses can seat 82 passengers and carry 90, in comparison to an articulated bus, commonly referred to as an “accordion bus,” which can carry 70 people and seats 55.
“I’m about the biggest chair that could get on that bus,” says fellow disabilities advocate Daniel Oickle.
He added that his wheelchair is the standard size. Oickle was present at the transit commission meeting on Feb. 24.
It was at that meeting that the decision was announced to approve the plan, which would include the purchase of the buses in the budget.
As people toured an on-sight bus, a CBC cameraman filmed Oickle mounting the ramp in an area without a sidewalk, when his wheelchair began to tilt back due to the ramp’s steep incline.
Oickle was saved from falling and says he “was just happy he didn’t have to go to the washroom when it happened.”
“There are challenges getting on the double-decker buses,” confirms Gardner, a regular user of OC Transpo. While Para Transpo is another option for people using wheelchairs, Gardner says she likes the freedom of being able to go to a bus stop and board a bus at anytime.
Aside from concerns about boarding the bus in areas without sidewalks, Oickle says he is worried about how easily seatbelts used to secure people in wheelchairs will be to unfasten.
But, Gardner says people rarely use the seatbelts that hook onto the wheelchairs because of their location.
“They’re right behind us and we can’t reach them,” says Gardner. “I think out of all the times I’ve been on OC Transpo, I’ve only seen one person use the seatbelt.”
Other areas where the double-decker didn’t grade as well as the articulated bus model include, exit time in the case of emergencies, earlier replacement of roadway infrastructure due to heavier weight placed on bus axles and new training for operators.
“If you’ve got a double-decker bus you’ve got people on the upper-level trying to get out,” says Gardner, about the additional time needed to vacate people from the bus.
According to city communications officer Jocelyne Turner, due to the buses second level and the stairs necessary to access it, the bus requires “only slightly more time to evacuate people” in cases of emergency.
“OC Transpo is confident that the double-deckers provide a safe option for our customers,” writes Turner in an email, in response to these concerns.
The buses, which would be used mainly for express routes during peak hours of operation, will also increase the pressure on roadways because of the extra weight of passengers. This fact could lead to earlier maintenance than previously anticipated, writes Turner.
Gardner says this could have a negative impact on roads that aren’t regularly maintained.
A new bus also requires new training. As of Dec. 16, 166 operators and 64 maintenance employees qualified to drive or perform necessary work on double-deckers.
Gardner says she’s concerned about the extra responsibility operating a bus with two-levels and additional passengers will put on drivers. “The driver is now saddled with more responsibilities that could take their eyes off the road.”
Despite concerns, the European-style ride has attracted positive feedback.
The planned purchase would replace 158 “first generation” low-floor buses, leading to the city’s estimated saving of $10 million per year in operating costs.
According to the city’s 2011 business plan, the low-floor buses that would be retired were bought between 1997 and 1999 and have less seating and standing room, in addition to being more costly to maintain than the double-decker buses. The purchase of the two-level bus is an alternative to buying more articulated buses.
“The double-deckers have approximately the same capital costs as an articulated bus but can accommodate more people and require less road and transit station space which can reduce congestion,” writes Turner.
In addition, according to a report submitted to the transit commission by Pat Scrimgeour, the manager of transit service design, the buses are more efficient on fuel and release fewer emissions.
Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes backs the plan, saying the purchase will mean a better commute for OC Transpo users.
“We know that they’ll manage well in our climates and on our roads. I think it’s definitely worth doing,” says Holmes.
Centretown resident Robert Dekker is also happy with the city’s decision.
A member of the Centretown Citizens Community Association, Dekker says double-deckers will be an improvement to articulated buses, which have experienced some problems on winter roads, including loss of control of the rear-end.
“I don’t particularly think they’re the safest to be driven 12 months of the year,” adds Dekker, referring to cases where the back-end of articulated buses have fishtailed in poor driving conditions.
Dekker, who lives and works downtown, says he’s seen cases of articulated buses slowing traffic because of their length. He’s hoping a shorter, but higher, bus will help solve that problem.
Peter Raaymakers is the executive director of a website dedicated to Ottawa transit. He also supports the plan to include the purchase in the budget.
Raaymakers has travelled on the double-decker buses and refers to them as a comfortable ride. “The novelty might wear off, but you’ll still enjoy the comfort of sitting down,” he says.
The transit commission will receive a detailed business case for the purchase of the buses on March 23 or Apr. 20.
At that time, “the public will have full disclosure of the entire business case and all aspects of the double-decker buses, and the commission will have the authority at that point to execute a contract,” says OC Transpo general manager Alain Mercier.