Wheelchair passenger: lift/ramp and 4-point restraint

Always ask the passenger what they need, and never touch the wheelchair without asking. Many wheelchair users are used to the process and can guide you. Do not assume what they can and cannot do — it is both safer and more dignified.

«How would you like me to help?» is always the right opening — not grabbing hold.

Stop the bus right up close to the kerb, activate the hazard lights and parking brake, and lower the bus with kneeling if possible before the passenger approaches. Check that there is room and safe ground for the lift or ramp.

Know the difference: a manual folding ramp is a sloping plate from the bus floor to the pavement — light and quick, but requires a suitable height difference. An electric lift lowers a platform all the way to road level and handles any difference in level, but requires more space and servicing. Follow the manufacturer's operating instructions for your particular equipment.

Make sure the ramp/lift is clear, clean and in working order before you activate it — ideally it should already have been checked during the departure check. A lift that fails at the stop can prevent the passenger from getting on or off.

Operate the lift or ramp slowly, keep eye contact with the passenger throughout, and move the wheelchair on with good clearance from the platform edges. Stress and speed cause most accidents in this part.

Place the wheelchair in the designated wheelchair space. As a rule it faces backwards against a backrest panel in the spaces designed for it — but always follow the bus's own type approval/documentation, as some systems require forward-facing securing.

Use the 4-point restraint system: two belt clips at the front and two at the rear, always attached to the wheelchair's fixed frame and never to wheels, footrests or removable parts. Tighten all four, and check that each clip has clicked fully into place before the bus moves off.

The wheelchair's own belt is not sufficient. Fasten a separate passenger belt around the passenger's body with both a lap and a shoulder part; the lap belt must lie low across the pelvis, and the shoulder part must not lie across the neck. Restraint systems are dynamically tested against a frontal collision at 48 km/h and approx. 20 g — which is why both the wheelchair and the body must be secured.

The wheelchair's own brake and belts never replace 4-point restraint plus a passenger belt.

Check that the wheelchair's brake is applied (especially on powered wheelchairs), that the restraints and belt are tight, and that no part of the wheelchair blocks the aisle or an emergency exit. Only drive off when everything is secure.

When alighting: come to a complete stop and activate the hazard lights, release the passenger belt and the four restraints in reverse order, prepare the lift/ramp and guide the passenger down calmly. Wait until the passenger is standing safely on the pavement/platform before the lift is retracted and the door closed.

Keep communication calm and clear throughout, even when the timetable is tight. Document and report any fault on the lift, ramp or restraint equipment to the operator immediately, so the equipment is in order for the next passenger.