Comment from Miller, Mike

I was Invited by Lane Transit District (LTD) to participate with Lift-U who manufactures the lifts that are on their 28 Gillig Buses.The original 6 foot to one ratio ramps I found to be dangerous in certain conditions. I main issue is the grade break.If you are in a wheelchair (powered in my case) you feel like you may flip over as you go up the ramp.Going down I almost always hit the foot rest on the chair as it scrapes its way down the ramp.Another issue is that your chair will tend to drop off the edge of the ramp that is now inside the bus.That pitches you to the right side as you exit.The temporary solution has been to add these bumpers that cause you to make a wider turn.(Good idea but it now makes the turn even more narrow) Q#1. I think that the Prototype Lift-U ramp that has been installed on Gillig bus #1101 and is out in the field being tested has solved the 6 ft. to 1 ratio issue very well. They have made a ramp that has almost no grade break and with a yellow stripe up the middle it makes it a very good ramp. If the engineers were allowed to just make a good ramp without hamstringing them with some arbitrary design parameter we would all be better of.and save some$$ $ Q.#2 Has already been accomplished by Lit-U as their prototype has no grade break Again I think a very good ramp design that might be used as the standard for the next generation of ramps. Q#3 is some what determined by each bus design and the ramp(s) design should compliment not hamper that Q #4 also is somewhat dependent on the design of the bus and I think the fair collection box should be in the dash(or front middle of the bus) so it doesn't hamper the turn of a mobility device) seems to me that the bus manufacture could work with a fare box co. and solve that problem. I am very grateful to have a good bus service like LTD.They and the companies they work with are very pro-active when it comes to helping find good solutions for handicapped riders. Thank You