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Accessibility STOAG entry with rollator

Barrierefreiheit

Our standard: barrier-free in all vehicles

All STOAG vehicles are equipped with low-floor technology so that our passengers with restricted mobility are happy to be able to travel safely and comfortably with us, thus enabling almost stepless entry and exit. Our buses have wide entry areas without central bars and are also equipped with mechanical folding ramps that make it easier for wheelchair users to get on. Should you need any help, our drivers will be happy to assist you! Passengers with walkers can of course get on at the second door just like wheelchair users.

In all STOAG buses there is a marked area for wheelchairs and walkers in the entry area of ​​the second door. Additional stop request buttons are also installed here at seat height. Special conditions apply to the transport of electric vehicles, so-called e-scooters.

There are no privileges for individual groups of passengers. Please understand that other customers who are already in the vehicle may not be excluded from further transport in order to take a passenger with a wheelchair, walker or e-scooter with them.
It goes without saying that our entire vehicle fleet is equipped with visual and acoustic stop displays - an important service for all passengers with visual or hearing problems. We not only implement our mobility promise in our buses and trams - we have also designed the stops in the Oberhausen city area and our three STOAG CustomerCenters to be contemporary and therefore barrier-free for you!
 

Mobility training

We offer free safety training for rollator users on one or two dates a year. During this training, the correct boarding and alighting and safe behavior in the bus can be practiced on a stationary vehicle at the Sterkrade train station. Please note our announcements in the local press and under "Latest News" on the start page of our homepage.
Passengers with disabilities can use all buses and trams of STOAG as well as local trains of Deutsche Bahn AG free of charge under certain conditions. An official handicapped ID card and the accompanying sheet with a valid token are required. You can only obtain these tokens from your pension office, which you can contact directly if you have any further questions on the subject (Essen pension office: 0201 8988-0).

 

 

Scooter sticker | STOAG

To get on and off the bus, please use the second door. There is more space here to get in and the storage space for your rollator is right next to this door.
 

Boarding forward

We recommend that you climb in forwards: Lift the front wheels of your rollator and push the rollator into the vehicle until you can place the front wheels on the vehicle floor. Keep pushing and then raise the rear wheels. If necessary, pull the brake on the rollator and hold onto the side door handle in the vehicle with one hand. When you have got into the vehicle, release the brake and roll the rollator onto the surfaces provided.

When entering, make sure that the front wheels do not get into the gap between the curb and door. Our drivers are not always able to get to the bus stop optimally. If the distance is too great, ask other passengers, including the drivers, for help.
 

Safety while driving

Please apply the parking brake of the rollator so that it does not roll away or tip over while driving. It is best to sit directly in the first free seat and hold on tight so that you do not lose your footing when cornering or braking. Please do not sit on the rollator under any circumstances. Suitable seats are the folding seats in the entry area of ​​the second door. So you can sit and hold your rollator at the same time.

If you do not have a monthly ticket, we recommend our four-person tickets in advance. These can be validated directly in the entry area at the second door. This eliminates the need to go on the bus to buy a ticket. If you need assistance with validating or purchasing a ticket, simply speak to one of the passengers. In our experience, many passengers are happy to help when asked in a friendly manner.
 

Exit backwards

Please press the stop request button in good time and stay seated until the bus has stopped. You can also use the second door to get out. Always get out of the rollator backwards. Hold onto the side door handle. First place one foot on the curb, then the second and then pull the rollator towards you with the rear wheels. Go back enough so that you can now pull the front wheels. If the distance between the sidewalk and the vehicle door is too great, do not be afraid to ask other passengers for help. Backing out is the safest way to get off the bus, especially when the rollator bag is loaded.

E-scooters in the STOAG vehicles

At the bus stop

In order to inform our drivers that you need help with boarding, it is best to wait at the height of the bus stop mast. Give the driver a hand signal as you approach the stop. This is how the driver sees you in any case. When approaching the bus stop, the front corner of the bus often swings over the curb. You should therefore always wait at the bus stop at a safety distance of one meter from the curb.
 

Entering the bus

Our employees will give you access to the bus by ramp as soon as the other passengers have boarded or disembarked. Please also inform us immediately at which stop you would like to get off again. Please note that the load capacity of the ramps is max. 300 kg. Always use the second door on the bus. There is the area where you can safely park your wheelchair or e-scooter. 

As there is not enough space on the bus to turn around, as a user of an electric wheelchair or approved e-scooter, you have to drive backwards into the bus. The folding ramp is only slightly wider than the wheelchair / e-scooter. Therefore, you have to drive up the ramp at an absolutely right angle to the bus. Otherwise there is a risk that the vehicle will slip and tip off the ramp.

Please ride the bus extremely slowly and carefully. Please do not try under any circumstances to climb the slope of the ramp "with swing". There is a risk of not being able to brake in time, with the result that other passengers are endangered or even injured.

If you don't need help getting in, press the blue pushchair button on the door if possible. This overrides the automatic closing of the door so that it remains open until the passenger change is complete.
 

Safety in the bus

For safety reasons, please place your wheelchair / e-scooter in all vehicles on the designated area with your back facing the direction of travel as close as possible to the bench or the upholstered surface. Secure your vehicle with the parking brake so that it does not tip over and injure you or other passengers. If possible, hold onto the handle provided with one hand. Please remain seated on your vehicle while driving.
 

Get out of the vehicle

Press the signal button with the wheelchair symbol as soon as your destination stop is announced and displayed. Do not release the parking brake of your wheelchair / e-scooter until the bus has reached the destination stop and the bus has come to a standstill. Drive to the exit after all other passengers have alighted. Wait there until the bus has fully lowered and the ramp has unfolded.

The exit from the bus is always forwards. Please make sure that the folding ramp is used at right angles to the bus. Then slowly drive out of the bus via the ramp. Particular attention should be paid to obstacles such as bus shelters, stop masts or crossing bike paths.

Accessibility for e-scooters at STOAG

The federal states have issued a nationwide decree for taking e-scooters into public buses. This specifies the conditions under which e-scooters can be taken on public buses. If all requirements are met and there is the necessary space in the vehicle, you can use our public buses with your e-scooter.
 

Technical properties and manufacturer approval of the e-scooter

  • The manufacturer of the e-scooter must explicitly declare in the instructions for use that the e-scooter is suitable for taking with you in local public transport in accordance with the decree and must mark it with a corresponding pictogram.  
  • The e-scooter must have four wheels. 
  • The e-scooters must not be longer than 120 cm, because due to the large turning circle, safe maneuvering is otherwise not guaranteed, even for experienced drivers. 
  • Baskets, holders for walking aids, bags or rucksacks or the like must not be attached or attached so that the backrest of the seat can rest positively on the impact plate. 
  • The anti-tip device and the ground clearance must allow driving on the folding ramp with an incline of 12% without the e-scooter touching down.  
  • Furthermore, the stability must be guaranteed by a braking system that always works together on both wheels of an axle and cannot be bridged by a differential.
     

Personal requirements of e-scooter users

  • The e-scooter user must be in possession of a severely disabled pass with the mark “G” or “aG”. Subsequently, the cost of the e-scooter is also covered by the health insurance company. A medical certificate, however, is not sufficient.
  • The motor and cognitive abilities of the user must be sufficient to control the e-scooter safely and without endangering yourself and others and to get into and out of the bus within a reasonable time frame (approx. 30 seconds). Here, the e-scooter user is primarily responsible for checking himself. 
     

Documents to be carried by e-scooter users

  • Severely handicapped ID card (or the certificate from the health insurance company) as proof of entitlement.
  • Furthermore, the user must have a valid token for the severely disabled ID card or a valid ticket. The e-scooter is transported free of charge as a medical aid.
  • The manufacturer has to mark the e-scooter with a pictogram.
  • The instructions for use of the e-scooter, from which the suitability for taking on public transport can be seen. 
     

Equipment of the buses for taking the e-scooter with you

  • At the second door, the bus has a defined wheelchair parking space with at least 2 m of maneuvering space. 
  • The installation site is secured with an aisle-side bracket with an overhang of at least 28 cm. This bracket is dimensioned in such a way that it prevents the e-scooter from tipping over and can also take the load of a tipping e-scooter. 
  • The bus also has a folding ramp at least 80 cm wide, but mostly 90 cm wide, on the second door. Therefore, the total weight of the e-scooter, the person sitting on it and the load must not exceed 300 kg. The bus driver is responsible for operating the folding ramp.  
  • Suitable buses are marked with a pictogram.
     

Further requirements (correct entry / exit and installation in the bus)

  • Further requirements are that the e-scooter user
  • drives the e-scooter backwards into the bus independently,
  • sets up the e-scooter against the direction of travel of the bus with the backrest of its seat directly on the baffle plate,
  • can manage the exit from the bus independently.


If you drive an e-scooter that meets the above requirements and you would like to use our buses, please inform us by email at info (at) stoag.de Please provide us with your address and contact details so that we can make an appointment for your training. You will be prepared for the bus journey with your e-scooter through practical exercises.

Flyer: Transport of e-scooters

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