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The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the impact of low- floor bus seating configuration, passenger load factor (PLF) and passenger characteristics on individual boarding and disembarking (B-D) times -a key component of vehicle dwell time and overall transit system performance. A laboratory study was conducted using a static full-scale mock-up of a low-floor bus. Users of wheeled mobility devices (n=48) and walking aids (n=22), and visually impaired (n=17) and able-bodied (n=17) users evaluated three bus layout configurations at two PLF levels yielding information on B-D performance. Statistical regression models of B-D times helped quantify relative contributions of layout, PLF, and user characteristics viz., impairment type, power grip strength, and speed of ambulation or wheelchair propulsion. Wheeled mobility device users, and individuals with lower grip strength and slower speed were impacted greater by vehicle design resulting in increased dwell time.

An anthropometric data collection effort has yielded electromechanical data of three-dimensional landmark coordinates for approximately 300 wheeled mobility device users and their wheelchairs. The development and modeling of static digital models from individual landmark coordinate datasets is described. These models provide a faithful representation of the static postural and spatial characteristics of the individual-mobility device (IMD) system. This paper highlights a few key issues in the development of the static digital models for the wheeled mobility device user group.