Background

Barrier-free access must be considered from different perspectives. In order to ensure it within public transport, employees must also be involved in its implementation.

Measure

The Augsburg Transport and Tariff Association (AVV) conducts training courses for its bus drivers to sensitize them for handling mobility-impaired people.

Aspects of the training:

• Forms of mobility impairment (e.g. physical, cognitive, but also phased impairments such as a plaster leg or the use of a pram)
• Concrete recommendations for action (e.g. making blind people aware of the vehicle, communication with deaf people, support for wheelchair users when getting in and out of the vehicle)
• Change of perspective (e.g. use of glasses that simulate a visual impairment so that drivers can empathize with the situation)

Sources:

[1]AVV news article describing the training.
https://www.avv-augsburg.de/fahrtauskunft/neuigkeiten/details/avv-erhaelt-signet-bayern-barrierefrei/