A Bus System with Elevated Bus Stops

When the new Volvo City bus system was inaugurated in Halmstad, a medium sized city in Sweden, it was the first time a traffic system of this type has ever been put into operation in an urban setting. The requirements and desires of the passengers themselves were given first priority in designing the new bus system. Since it was Volvo’s ambition to produce a public transport system technically accessible to everyone, this philosophy was one of the guidelines in its development. It was thought that those suffering from some form of physical handicap should be able to catch a bus, even those that are presently confined to a wheelchair. This is now possible in Halmstad with the elevated bus stops that were incorporated into the system. This paper will detail the modifications made to the system to allow the bus system to be used by all, including the elderly and handicapped.