Putco's accessible bus initiative hailed as a step towards inclusive transport

JOHANNESBURG - The National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities has welcomed a new prototype vehicle designed to offer accessible public transport for people with disabilities.

The initiative is led by bus company Putco, which on Friday invited numerous organisations to view the prototype and suggest improvements. The prototype currently features a roll-out ramp, providing access to wheelchair users, as well as persons with mobility, hearing, and other sensory disabilities.

READ: Putco launches prototype bus offering accessible transport to people with disabilities

The Council’s Programme Manager, Danie Marais, who is hearing impaired, says he is pleased with the bus’s design.

“We are very happy with what we have seen. We want to congratulate Putco for what they are doing to make sure that persons with disabilities and the broader population have equal and dignified access to public transport,” Marais said.

Putco will begin rolling out six buses once the added features are complete.