February wrote:I did have to get back off busses several times because there were no seats and if I try to stand I will only injure myself and the people I fall on. Trouble often was that people with ECVs would come up the back entrance- advancing ahead of families that had been waiting half an hour for a bus- and be loaded on, the ECV taking up four seats and then their party of ten taking up a lot more- and all being seated before the rest of those waiting in line for the bus. That's not right.
I've traveled in a chair for entire trips before and we've always waited in line at the front with everybody else. When did they start letting guests in ECVs cut the line at the last minute and hence tick off many people in the process when they then had to stand on the bus or missed it because it was full?
The way it was this week made me wish that they had a few special busses designated for ECVs and their parties- and I say that as someone who has ridden a mile on those wheels, so to speak. We should have to wait like everybody else.
bru
I have a daughter who is in a wheelchair, and we've been to WDW tons of times. I can assure you that the ECV or wheelchair designated seats are 3 seats, not 4. My DD stays in her electric chair, so maybe that's where the problem is: an ECV user who then transfers to a bus seat?
When our kids were younger, our 2 younger children would sit on their sister's lap, and DH and I would stand in front of and in back of the chair, fitting 5 people into the same place that would normally fit 3. Last week, with the girls now being 27, 17, and 12, and with 10 total in our party, we took up: 5 seats. The rest of us stood, even before the others were allowed to enter the bus.
The reason we have been given by the transportation CMs for wanting to load the wheelchairs on the bus FIRST is: If they load the bus, and halfway through the line a wheelchair pops up, they have to; stop the line, clear the seats the EVC or wheelchair will need, make people STAND BACK, and then get the whole thing loaded while everyone gets in the way. It's easier to load the chair if there aren't so many people in the bus.
We'd be willing to wait off to the side for the next bus except for a couple of things. YOU can get on any bus that is going in your direction. My DD HAS to have a wheelchair lift bus, with an empty spot. During heavy travel times, there is no guarantee the next bus will have space. There are also still some buses that don't have lifts on them. We have set at the bus stop before and watched 4 or more buses going where we need to go load full and take off, without us on it.
A special bus? Sounds great. Will you make sure that one comes just as often as the regular buses, and goes where we need it to go?
I'm sorry no-one has ever stood up and given you a seat. That's just rude. Something we've always pounded into our kids is that they aren't to sit while adults are standing, especially if that adult appears to need the seat more than them.