Low-Floor Buses Improve Diff-Abled Persons’ Mobility, Finds Study

Chennai: Chennai’s low-floor buses have significantly improved mobility for persons with disabilities as respondents surveyed in a new study expressed satisfaction with the buses and seeking an expansion of the fleet, according to a study by Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG).

The study, titled ‘Moving Without Barriers: Documenting Mobility Barriers Encountered by People with Disabilities in Chennai’, released on Thursday, found that the introduction of low-floor buses had made public transport more accessible to persons with disabilities. Chennai currently has 1,540 low-floor buses.

Divya Arvind, author of the report, said the researchers had spoken to 99 persons with disabilities specifically about their experience with low-floor buses and all of them were happy with the service. “All of them asked for more low-floor buses in the city,” she said.

One respondent from Tambaram told the researchers that he had made nearly 800 trips on low-floor buses since their introduction in the city in 2024. Based on the responses, the study recommended that the entire city bus fleet should eventually be converted to low-floor buses.

“The cumulative effect is one that impacts education, employment and healthcare,” she elaborated.

She pointed out that poor infrastructure often forces people to walk alongside moving vehicles, making independent travel difficult or simply too risky. The study, she said, seeks to translate these lived experiences into evidence that can guide policymakers and transport agencies towards a genuinely inclusive system.

The report was released in Chennai on August 20, 2026, by A. Saravanan, joint commissioner (works), Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), along with members of a panel representing key transport agencies and disability rights organisations.

Delivering the inaugural address, Saravanan stressed that “accessibility is a right, not a privilege” and described the event as “healthy advocacy for inclusive accessibility”.

He outlined plans to improve 80 kilometres of footpaths with tactile and accessible pathways and junctions, upgrade parks and beaches, and introduce improved bus stop models across the city.

The study, which covered more than 270 respondents through perception surveys and focus group discussions, examined the mobility challenges faced by persons with disabilities and senior citizens in Chennai, particularly in accessing public transport and public spaces.

While low-floor buses and the Metro have improved accessibility, the study found that several systemic barriers continue to restrict independent mobility. About 66 per cent of respondents lived within 1 km of public transport, but poor pedestrian infrastructure often prevented them from accessing bus stops and stations easily. Nearly 68 per cent reported encountering blocked pathways or uneven surfaces on their way to public transport.

More than half of the respondents reported facing obstacles while accessing public transport stops and stations. Persons with disabilities faced greater barriers than senior citizens with only 11 per cent of persons with disabilities saying they had not encountered any barriers on the roads.

The study also found shortcomings within public transport vehicles. About 41.5 per cent of respondents said the interiors of public transport were not designed to meet their needs. Lack of Braille signage, audio announcements, wheelchair spaces, appropriately positioned handrails and priority seating were among the concerns raised.

Only 4.5 per cent of respondents were completely satisfied with public transport interiors while 61.4 per cent gave them the lowest rating.

The researchers recommended lowering boarding steps, providing horizontal handrails, installing Braille signage and automated audio announcements, and ensuring that buses are designed to accommodate wheelchair-users. They also called for better training of transport staff to assist passengers with different disabilities.

Staff behaviour emerged as another major concern. Seventy of the 210 respondents who answered questions on this aspect reported negative experiences with public transport staff or fellow passengers. Of these, 21 said they were reluctant to seek assistance because of previous experiences while 18 said such experiences made them hesitant to use public transport altogether.

The Metro was generally viewed more positively. The respondents highlighted the role of trained staff in guiding passengers from entrances to platforms.

The study said inclusive mobility required more than isolated accessibility measures. Continuous and obstruction-free footpaths, accessible bus stops, low-floor buses, appropriate vehicle design, trained staff and accessible information systems needed to work together to provide seamless travel.

It called for an expansion of the low-floor bus fleet, universal design standards for pedestrian infrastructure, regular sensitisation and technical training for transport staff, and technology such as voice assistance and real-time information on accessible station entrances and operational lifts.

“Accessibility is not a privilege but a fundamental right,” the report said, calling for stronger enforcement and accountability to ensure that the legal framework on accessibility translates into facilities on the ground.