I rely on public transit and ride share for my transportation. I prefer traveling in the summer and fall because of the weather: There aren’t heaters at bus stops.
Shade or shelter is a necessity in any season. If the bus stop doesn’t have a shelter, then it automatically makes my ‘worst’ list. Speaking of… I present to you my nominees for best and worst bus stops in Boulder, based on years of using public transportation with a wheelchair.
Best: Pearl Street between 30th and 28th Streets (in front of Whole Foods)
I like this shelter because it has a section with a roof and no walls attached, a design that provides shade and fresh air. It’s easy for bad smells to build up in the small space where air currents are stagnant.
Another problem with walled shelters is that the bus drivers don’t see people waiting in them. If they don’t see you, buses don’t stop. I have had the unfortunate experience of the bus driving on by. I now make an effort to wait under the bus stop sign next to the curb.
Worst: Arapahoe and 30th
This stop has no shelter and a strange concrete curb that limits mobility when in a wheelchair. Plus, the built-in bench barely leaves enough room for the bus ramp to lower, making it difficult to maneuver the chair to board the bus. I’ve often run into the bench when trying to approach the ramp needed to board the bus.
Following general bus etiquette, I do not immediately board when the doors open because this prohibits the lowering of the ramp, which is necessary for me to depart. Once on the bus, I’m often trapped because I have maneuvered out into the aisle waiting for the ramp to be lowered, but it can’t be due to the able-bodied person standing on it who is trying to get around me to sit down.
It’s not easy to maneuver a power wheelchair in the tight space of a bus aisle. Usually the bus driver will hold out a stop hand, but some people don’t notice it because they jump on so quickly.
If you’re riding a bus with the accessible seats folded up and a passenger using a wheelchair boards, lift up the seats for them. It’s easy: The corners of the seats have levers for hoisting.
I understand that transporting a wheelchair user is rare, but we should all get used to seeing wheelchair users out and about. People with disabilities have the same right to be in public as able people, and everyone is just one accident or disease away from joining the disabled community. Simple aging can lead to the necessity of using a mobility device.
If you have a disability, hopefully this will encourage you to be more active. Visibility will help everyone become more aware of our existence and the challenges we face.
Read more from Jenn about disability rights and advocacy on Boulder Weekly
Jenn Ochs lives in Boulder and enjoys listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks while painting or drawing. She is a disability rights advocate and a graduate from Baylor University in Texas, which is where she realized that Boulder is the best place to live.
This opinion does not necessarily reflect the views of Boulder Weekly.