Ten new lift-equipped shuttles were put into service on the university’s shuttle routes on Monday, December 3, making the shuttle fleet handicapped-accessible for the first time, according to Lisa Underwood, manager of parking and transportation services.
“We wanted to be able to serve the entire university community.regardless of mobility,” said Underwood.
Underwood also said that the new shuttles help to bring the shuttle service into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The new shuttles will be put into service along the medical school, West Campus and Galleria routes. However, if Underwood or her office learns of students along other routes requesting lift service, shuttles will be transferred to those routes to meet demand.
Until now, those that required lift-equipped service called the transportation office to receive service, either from the supervisor’s van or one other shuttle in the fleet, both of which were lift-equipped.
The new shuttles replaced six old shuttles, on which the leases expired. In addition to being handicapped-accessible, the shuttles will enhance service, said Underwood.
“The new shuttles allow us to solve an equipment problem,” said Underwood. “Previously we have had problems in our service due to both routine and unexpected maintenance of vehicles. The new shuttles should help solve that problem.”
Eleven of the system’s 16 shuttles are now lift-equipped. The university owns the remaining shuttles, and there is no immediate plan to add additional handicapped-accessible vehicles to the system. Underwood added, however, that the university looks forward to replacing the remaining vehicles with handicapped-accessible ones.
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