Valuing improvements to bus universal accessibility for visually impaired users: A case study in Santiago, Chile

While the implementation of public transport initiatives in various countries has significantly improved universal accessibility, it's important to note that they have primarily catered for individuals with physical disabilities. The needs and barriers of the visually impaired, a distinct population segment, have not received the same level of attention.

We examine three elements designed to improve universal bus accessibility for the visually impaired: audio-visual information inside buses, auditory information outside buses, and bus standardization, to contribute to the design and social evaluation of appropriate policies for this segment. We applied a stated choice survey, including perceptual indicators designed to assess the respondents' ability to move independently in the city. Information from 529 individuals allowed us to estimate hybrid choice models, incorporating two latent variables associated with respondents' independence (technological and mobility-wise).

We found that subjective valuations differed markedly for people with and without visual impairments and depended on gender, physical disability, occupation and car availability. Results suggest that the social worth of these measures could be substantial given the life span of urban buses. Our approach can be generalised to other countries/regions, with the potential for even higher valuations, as Santiago's public transport system is better than the norm.