Wheelchair Users' Accessibility Problems in Public Transportation-Case of Metro Bus

Every day, in urban areas, the mobility of people and goods forms inner urban transportation. When urban transportation is carried in the form of public transportation, it becomes a public service. The urban public transport is one of the important services for all citizens since it is a public service provision. This service is provided by local government and it has been offered as a service without any distinctions between young, old, children, men, women, disabled, employee or retired or briefly to the society. Additionally, traffic congestion and the expence of owing and maintaining vehicles increase public transport usage in cities. In populous cities, spread over a wide area like Istanbul, urban public transportation improves the quality of urban life. Therefore, public service should aim to provide qualified, safe and accessible provisions. In this study, we examined the accessibility problems faced by wheelchair users when they travel through metro buses in urban transportation. As a result, the metro bus system used for 6 years in Istanbul urban public transport is not accessible for everyone even it is a new vehicle. This result shows the failure of metro bus to fulfil the requirement of law 5378. It is essential to provide equal services to citizens in order to take social sustainability. Everyone must receive immediately the chance of living of human dignity. At least accessibility must be provided in all public services after the adaptation of law 5378 in 2005. Additionally, all sanctions must be identified and implemented in each inadequately accessibility provision.