INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS Wheelchair Securement Study
‘First of Its Kind’ New research from the University of Pittsburgh’s Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center
on Wheelchair Transportation Safety shows that participants favor rear-facing wheelchair passenger systems and independent use versus operator assistance. Published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development, the study was designed to evaluate security, ease of use, comfort and independent use of three types of wheelchair securement systems in a large
accessible transit vehicle (LATV). Researchers compared the usability of a prototype auto-docking system and prototype rear- facing wheelchair passenger (RF-WP) system with the traditional four-point tie-down system. Te latter system is typically used with wheelchairs on school buses and adheres to WC19 safety standards established by RESNA. In the study, 20 participants took a 15-minute city ride before completing a survey, which also sought input from wheelchair
and scooter users on how to improve LATV securement systems. Among key findings was the importance of independent use versus operator assistance and the participants’ preference to face forward while traveling. Participants responded positively to the auto-docking and RF-WP systems, saying they were quicker and easier to use and allowed more independent use than the four-point tie-down system. “Tis is the first study of its kind to evaluate users’ opinions on various types of wheelchair securement systems for use in LATVs,” wrote the authors.
Los Angeles Request for Lawsuit Blocked in Wake of State Budget Cuts Slashing Student Transportation In late December, a judge rejected a Los Angeles Unified School
District (LAUSD) request to immediately halt massive state funding cuts, but the district vowed to continue providing transportation to 52,000 students, according to news reports. Superior Court Judge Ann Jones denied the temporary restraining
order sought by LAUSD to restore $38 million in transportation funds that were included in “trigger” cuts announced by Gov. Jerry Brown just 10 days before. With state revenue $2.2 billion less than forecasted, the
governor enacted $1 billion in midyear cuts that took effect Jan. 1. LAUSD responded by filing a lawsuit alleging that California violated the state Constitution when it enacted the trigger cut that is eliminating $248 million in student transportation funding statewide for the remainder of the current school year. LAUSD called the cuts “devastating” because they would deplete
50 percent of its transportation budget after half a year’s worth of transportation services were already provided.
Only two options remain, according to the district: terminate transportation services or divert classroom funding from the general
fund to pay for the mandated school busing. Te district is required to provide transportation to some 48,000 students each day, including 13,000 students with special needs who receive bus service under federal and state law. In addition, a 1981 desegregation order requires the district to bus 35,000 students to magnet schools and similar programs. LAUSD also stated that allocating classroom funds to pay for transportation violates the California Constitution “because further
budget cuts would adversely impact the educational benefits offered to its students.” However, the district also said it would find a way to keep transportation programs alive.
16 School Transportation News Magazine February 2012
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