New technologies create the conditions for people with disabilities to travel independently on public transport. The Swiss Transit Lab enables simplified use of the lift and seamless transfer to the train by connecting the buses of the Schaffhausen transport company with the lift in the regional bus centre at Schaffhausen railway station. This was achieved through the integration of IoT and intelligent data management.
Mobility
21.12.2021"OpenDoors" links the buses of the Schaffhausen transport company with the lift at the regional bus centre (the only lift in the station subway). This makes it easier for people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility to transfer from the bus to the train.
Numerous new technologies are making our everyday lives easier. In the area of micromobility, we have rental bikes and e-scooters at our disposal, and we can buy our public transport tickets via smartphone with just one click. Access to everyday mobility is usually difficult for people with disabilities. Digital solutions create the conditions for people in wheelchairs, for example, to travel independently on public transport.
Schaffhausen public transport buses (vbsh) are already equipped with separate stop request buttons for wheelchair users at the wheelchair space. These buttons are used not only to signal the stop request for the next stop but also to indicate to the driver that assistance is required when boarding or alighting (e.g., wheelchair ramp).
A new feature is that the signal is registered via the vbsh control centre when the button in front of the station is pressed. From there, it is transmitted to specially developed software from Batix Schweiz AG. This software is able to control the lift by means of a transmission unit from Weidmüller Schweiz AG, which has also been specially developed and installed on-site at the lift. This means for the passenger in the wheelchair: The stop request button at the wheelchair space is activated before entering the station. The signal is forwarded to the lift at the regional bus centre. The lift is ordered to the upper level with a slight time delay. The person in the wheelchair can use the lift and transfer to the train seamlessly and without losing any time.
Thanks to our partners, we can realise our vision of future-oriented mobility. They are the foundation of our expertise and our success. The ‘OpenDoors’ project was realised thanks to the support of the following project partners and sponsors.
