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Analysis of public transport inclusiveness among persons with disabilities before and during COVID-19 in Benin City, Nigeria
Abstract
ABSTRACT
There are over one billion people with disabilities (PWDs) worldwide, with 80 percent of these people living in low-income countries (LICs). Globally, COVID-19 significantly impacted various sectors of society, and the public transport sector is no exception. Interestingly, the public transport sector accounts for about 70% of all intra-city travel in LICs. Despite this, policies and practices in the public transport sector rarely identified, understood, and accommodated the mobility needs of PWDs before and especially during COVID-19. The study had a sample size of 203 respondents, which cut across all categories of disability, such as physical impairment, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and learning disabilities such as speech impairment, etc. It adopted mixed-methods research (MMR), and findings revealed that PWDs were significantly excluded from the public transport system before and especially during COVID-19. In order to boost public transport inclusion among PWDs, the study recommends that their mobility needs be identified and prioritized at all levels, including policies, infrastructure, modes, and services, during and post-COVID-19 in Benin City, Nigeria.
Keywords: Public Transport, Inclusiveness, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Before & COVID-19, Benin City, Nigeria
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ISSN: 2454-6623