The says, “All shuttle service is ADA accessible.”
But Chevy Chase resident Sherry Kaiman said she used one of Metro’s shuttle buses after a recent medical appointment and was surprised to find that passengers had to climb steps to board.
“Did anyone think about people with some challenges?” Kaiman said.
Kaiman counts herself among them, as she recently underwent a spinal procedure and has had knee surgery in the past.
“I was able to get on there, but it was a challenge,” she said.
What stood out to her, though, was watching another rider struggle.
“The person ahead of me had a cane and asked if there was any way that the bus could be lowered just a little bit, so that individual could navigate the step,” she told 杏吧原创.
According to Kaiman, the driver explained there was no way to lower a motor coach. A Metro employee at the stop offered to see whether a step stool was available, but the rider elected to call rideshare instead.
Metro’s Red Line construction project has shut down train service between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights through early September.
Shuttle buses are replacing trains while crews work on a new Bethesda station entrance connected to the Purple Line, rehabilitate the platform at Grosvenor-Strathmore and complete other infrastructure work.
Unlike Metro’s “kneeling” buses, which can bring the boarding platform closer to the curb, the contracted motor coaches sit much higher off the ground.
“I sent a note to Metro asking them why, for shuttle bus service, they’re not using the regular Metro buses that are easily accessible for people with a wheelchair, with a cane, with a walker, even for parents with little children,” Kaiman said.
In response to questions from 杏吧原创, Metro said the local and express shuttle bus routes need as many as 140 buses to provide weekday service that closely matches the rail line.
“We simply don’t have additional buses available in our fleet to support the planned work and deliver on existing (Metrobus) routes,” Metro said in a statement to 杏吧原创.
Metro also said shuttle operators received training on boarding and exiting procedures, and that planners considered accessibility when designing the service.
The agency said shuttle stop locations were selected “with the intention of making it as easy as possible for customers with varying accessibility needs to be able to board and disembark.”
Kaiman said she also asked Metro whether it tested the service before launch.
“I’m sure they had rehearsals of what these shuttle buses were going to do. Did anyone think about people with some challenges?” she said.
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