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Toolkit
Toolkit
for the assessment of
Bus Stop Accessibility
and Safety
| Page 
Table of Contents
Introduction ...............................................................................................................................1
Contact Information ...................................................................................................................2
Project Advisory Committee and Team ......................................................................................3
Members of the Committee: .........................................................................................................3
Myths of Bus Stop Accessibility .................................................................................................5
Principles of Bus Stop Design .....................................................................................................7
Barrier-Free Design .......................................................................................................................7
Urban Wayfinding ........................................................................................................................7
Safety and Warning ......................................................................................................................8
How to Conduct a Bus Stop Inventory ......................................................................................9
Sample Bus Stop Checklist .........................................................................................................10
Creating Accessible and Safe Bus Stops .....................................................................................13
Distinction Between ADA Requirements and Universal Design ..................................................13
Design Guidelines .......................................................................................................................14
Bus Stop Area and Bus Landing Pads ..........................................................................................14
Bus Shelter Design ......................................................................................................................19
Lighting ......................................................................................................................................23
Security .......................................................................................................................................24
Accessible Path ............................................................................................................................25
Route and Timetable Information ...............................................................................................29
Transit Signage ............................................................................................................................30
Amenities ....................................................................................................................................33
Identifying a Bus Stop by People with Visual Impairments ..........................................................38
Maintenance of Bus Stops and Shelters .......................................................................................39
Key Players and Agency Coordination ......................................................................................41
Interdepartmental Collaboration .................................................................................................42
Driver Training and Support ....................................................................................................43
Reducing Bus Operator Tasks ......................................................................................................43
Cooperation Between Drivers and Bus Stop Planners .................................................................44
T
a
ble of
Contents Technology and Product Links ................................................................................................45
Talking Signs
®
Technology ...........................................................................................................45
Automated Docking Systems .......................................................................................................45
NextBus ......................................................................................................................................47
i-Stops .........................................................................................................................................49
Bus Stop Shelter Product Links ...................................................................................................49
Urban and Rural Bus Stops .......................................................................................................51
Population with Disabilities in Urban and Rural Areas ...............................................................51
Rural Bus Stops ...........................................................................................................................52
Appendix A. Quick Bus Stop Checklist ..........................................................................A-1
Appendix B. Tri-Met Maintenance Guidelines ...............................................................B-1
Appendix C. Case Studies/Examples of Agency Coordination .......................................C-1
Appendix D. Sample Agreement for Private Road Bus Stop Placement ....................... D-1
Appendix E. Field Test Locations .................................................................................. E-1
Appendix F. Useful Resources ....................................................................................... F-1
Table of Figures
Figure 1. Acceptable Color Combinations Based on Contrast .......................................................54
Figure 2. NextBus Information Flow .............................................................................................69
Figure 3. Bus Information Display ................................................................................................70
Figure 4. Disability Demographics in Urban and Rural America ...................................................74 | Page 
IntroductIon
B

us stops are a key link in the journey of a bus rider. For people with disabilities, inaccessible
bus stops often represent the weak link in the system and can effectively prevent the use of
fixed-route bus service. Physical, cognitive, and psychological barriers associated with bus stops can
severely hamper bus ridership by the disability community, thus limiting their mobility and potentially
leading to increased paratransit costs.
This toolkit is primarily targeted towards staff at transit agencies and public works departments who are
responsible for bus stop design and placement. The toolkit is intended to be a convenient resource that
can be used to enhance the accessibility of specific bus stops, or help in the development of a strategic
plan to achieve system-wide accessibility. Disability community representatives should also find in these
pages material that can be used to advocate for accessibility improvements and barrier removal.
We encourage you to selectively draw on the sections that are most relevant to your situation. Your
feedback on the toolkit will be most appreciated, and can be submitted either via a telephone call to
Easter Seals Project ACTION, or via a short survey. Please let us know if there are critical topics that
should be included in future versions of the toolkit.
Intr
oduction
Use the Toolkit to:
Determine minimum ADA
requirements
Enhance bus stop
accessibility through
universal design
Inventory bus stops
Develop a strategic plan for
system-wide accessibility
Advocate for improvements T
oolkit for the
Assessment of Bus Stop
Accessibility and Safety
Page  |
contact InformatIon
T

he Toolkit for Bus Stop Accessibility and Safety Assessment is provided by Easter Seals Project
ACTION (Accessible Community Transportation In Our Nation). Funded through a coop-
erative agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, Project
ACTION promotes cooperation between the transportation industry and the disability community to
increase mobility for people with disabilities under the ADA and beyond.
For information, questions or assistance, please contact:
Easter Seals Project ACTION
Address:
700 13th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005
Phone:
202.347.3066 or 800.659.6428
Fax:
202.737.7914
TDD:
202.347.7385
Email:
projectaction@easterseals.com
Web Address:
www.projectaction.org
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Project advIsory commIttee and team
T

he Toolkit was developed by Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates with the aid of the Project
ACTION Advisory Committee and Team. Committee and Team members represented the
diverse interests of transit agencies, people with disabilities, and various local, state and federal agencies.
Members of the Committee:
Billy Altom, Delta Res