On the Disney bus, does the driver secure the wheelchair on the lift?

[Bete]

Help a newbie, please. We've never done this and I'm sure hoping that the driver does the anchoring of the chair on and off the bus. Can the wheelchair passenger stay on the wheelchair for the drive? I assume we get on first and get off last---Is that correct?

 

[clkelley]

The chair is not really anchored on the lift. If someone is pushing you in a standard chair, then the person with you backs you onto the lift, you are instructed to lock the wheels, then you are raised up. The person pushing you stands on the lift behind you and then pushes you into position on the bus. The driver then straps down the wheelchair in the proper position. The wheelchair passenger has the option of staying in the wheelchair or transferring. On the busses with ramps, your "pusher" companion just backs you into postion onto the bus. If you are rolling a manual wheelchair yourself, then you just back up onto the lift, lock your wheels, then you are lifted up. With the ramp buses, you just go up the ramp, then maneuver into position on the bus.

If you have an electric ECV then you back up into position onto the lift. Some drivers ask you to turn your key off. You are lifted up, then you maneuver your ECV into position onto the bus. The bus driver then straps the ECV down. You have the option of staying on the ECV or transferring. On the buses with just ramps you will back up the ramp in reverse. (Some buses allow you to go on forward).

Yes, you get on first, then get off last.

I hope this answers your question.

Carol

 

[JudithM]

On the older WDW busses where you are literally lifted up, I do two things - put the EVC in turtle/slow mode & once settled on the lift, I turn the ECV off. Personally I would not stay on the ECV while the bus is in motion. I don't like the feeling of being seat belted in so far up on the ECV. Generally I have been the first one on the bus & the last one off.

 

[SueM in MN]

As was already mentioned, you will lock the brakes and turn off a power wheelchair or ECV after getting on the lift. That will prevent the wheelchair or ECV from rolling.
On the buses with lifts, there is a small "lip" that comes up in front of you as the lift begins rising off the ground. That also prevents the wheelchair or ecv from mmoving. When you are getting off the bus, the lift is in the top position and the little lift is up. It will stay in the "up" position until you are totally lowered to the ground.
If you are planning to get out of the wheelchair/ecv and sit on a bus seat, let the driver know. He/She will still secure the wheelchair/ECV, but can do it in a faster way.
If you haven't already looked at the disABILITIES FAQs thread, one of the posts on that thread includes a lot of bus information.