When COVID-19 hit the nation , did you witness disruptions to accessible transit and paratransit operations ? Paola Realpozo : Ridership plummeted , and new processes and procedures ( and configurations to systems ) needed to be in place for safety reasons ; including cleaning and sanitizing , contact tracing , and social distancing ( where possible ). At the same time , providers found ways to keep vehicles in use and drivers at work by expanding service options to include meals on wheels , COVID testing and vaccination-specific transit , wireless internet hotspots to communities that needed it , and more .
What new safety concerns have arisen in accessible transportation due to COVID-19 ? Kevin Trudeau : Most of our customers are a high-risk population , and we don ’ t take lightly their decision to trust their health to our services . Since COVID , we have implemented processes to increase peace of mind for those with mobility challenges , including an antimicrobial powder coating on the handrails of our wheelchair lifts and implementing a sanitation process as the last component of any service inspection . We also encourage and incentivize mobile service units , enabling the service technicians to come to the repair unit and limit exposure .
Bill Ott : Unfortunately , especially in the early onset of COVID , many transit drivers came into contact with the virus . Agencies quickly adopted plexiglass walls to limit operator exposure and took other measures to allow distancing between passengers and drivers . We saw increased interest in products like QUANTUM , because self-securement allowed drivers to secure wheelchair passengers without leaving the front of the bus . Paratransit operations saw decreased demand , due to COVID restrictions as well as distancing concerns . We had many calls from paratransit customers about sanitization and the capabilities to disinfect our products , because those agencies were taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of their riders .
What specific challenges did pandemic protocols place on paratransit services ? Realpozo : Cleanliness required vehicles to return to the yard between each passenger trip . Barriers between seats caused communication issues , and social distancing reduced the option for shared rides . We were able to help our customers by quickly configuring our Trapeze software to help with contact tracing and adapting vehicle capacity to meet rapidly changing service requirements . Trips had to be spaced out more and , in some cases , with only one passenger at a time . Trapeze software was used to help many paratransit systems make this adaptation and keep both riders and drivers safe .
What role does technology or equipment play in reimagining accessible transportation after COVID-19 ? Ott : It is all about keeping distance and space between people , and trying to drive more autonomy with the riders themselves . Transit riders with wheelchairs are very capable , and we feel strongly about allowing them to board buses and secure themselves safely . Autonomy is a big technology driver ; we can see sensors that are looking at spacing . Even on the data collection side , with how many riders are getting on the vehicles and so forth , I think some of the IoT technology can be very , very useful in contact tracing . It is going to be a while before we can truly return to pre-COVID operations in public transportation , so it is important that we leverage technology to keep passengers as safe as possible .
Trudeau : Like every industry , transportation is witnessing a high turnover of employees , specifically of equipment operators . This turnover forced us to accelerate our virtual education and certification efforts . In the past we would schedule onsite , in-person trainings . Today a brand-new operator can scan a QR code on our wheelchair lift and read instructions or watch instructional videos to ensure they ’ re operating the equipment correctly or troubleshoot any issues . We still believe in the value of in-person trainings , but we recognize the need for more versatile and virtual options in today ’ s era , whether during COVID times or beyond . This and our sanitizing processes are changes that are here to stay .
Realpozo : Agencies are rebooting their service offerings to meet the post-pandemic mobility needs . These include adding microtransit , Mobility as a Service , integrating their traditional bus and rail networks , and providing more handheld info on apps and at stations . Touchless technology is reshaping how both operations and passengers will interact within shared spaces as agencies move away from cash and other paper dependent operations . Real-time
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