Bài giảng Tiếng Anh chuyên ngành giao thông Trường Đại học Công Nghệ GTVT (UTT) Unit 4 part 2

Unit 4

SPECIAL TOPICS ON ROADS AND
BRIDGES

PART 2

ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION FOR
PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED PERSONS

1. WARMING UP
Have you ever helped the disabled persons to cross the road?
Do the disabled have any difficulties in transportation activities?

Wheel chair ramps at pedestrian crossing

Parking space for disabled people

Textured blocks/tiles for blind people


Bus ramps for wheel chair

2.

READING
Transport Mobility for Physically
Challenged Persons

People with disabilities and frail elders need transportation to get to work, school,

recreation, medical services, and all the other activities of daily living. Public
transportation needs to become accessible for blind persons, those who are
partially sighted, people with mobility and cognitive impairments, and persons who
are deaf, deafened, or hard-of-hearing. Disabled persons and seniors need the
mobility provided by buses, trains, vans, taxis, and other means of transportation.
Mobility for all means advantages for all. Most of the improvements which help
disabled persons also help everyone else. If disabled persons can get to a bus stop
and easily get on a bus, that usually means that other passengers also have an
easier time using public transportation.
For example, everyone benefits from pedestrian paths and streets without
potholes, from bus stop waiting areas which are safely removed from traffic, from
easy-to-read destination signs on buses, from proper hand grips on bus doors, and
from drivers who call out key stops. But while non-disabled passengers may find it
harder to ride a bus without these improvements, disabled passengers may be
prevented from using a bus. And without mobility, disabled persons cannot get to
work or school or to any other activity.
Access to transportation is not just a matter of being able to ride on buses and
trains. Transportation access also benefits from changes in the attitudes other
people have toward persons with disabilities. Prejudice against disabled persons will
hinder the success of even the best efforts to improve access. Also, those who
have mobility difficulties may need practical, low cost and easily repaired mobility
aids, including wheelchairs, canes, walkers and crutches.
Where vehicles cross pedestrian areas, a pedestrian crossing should be built which
is safer and more accessible than any other part of the street. The pedestrian
crossing is a complicated place and has to satisfy many different needs. Here are
some improvements that can be made to pedestrian crossings:


The kerb between the pedestrian area
and the roadway is used by the blind to

determine direction. Consequently, the
pedestrian crossing should be placed at
right angles to the kerb. A raised
pedestrian crossing reduces traffic speed
and increases the opportunities for
interaction
between
drivers
and
pedestrians.
Noise makes it difficult for the blind
to hear where a vehicle is coming
from, which means that traffic lights
or some other form of separation are
necessary.

A traffic island divides the
traffic flow and means that a
pedestrian crossing can be
crossed in two stages. This
makes it simple to both see and
understand the traffic situation
clearly.

The traffic approaches from one direction at a time and each part of the
pedestrian crossing is less than half the width of the street. The traffic
island should have a low edge or have a contrasting surface material. A
pedestrian crossing should preferably be designed so that the pedestrians
can have eye contact with the drivers. They should, at least, be able to see
each other.

Choose the best answer for the following questions
1.
Public transportation needs to become accessible for
a.
blind persons, those who are totally sighted and without disabilities


b.
c.
2.
a.
b.
c.
3.
a.
b.
c.
4.
a.
b.
c.
5.
a.
b.
c.

people without mobility and cognitive impairments, and persons who are
blind and deaf
blind and deaf persons and people with mobility and cognitive impairments

If disabled persons can get to a bus stop and easily get on a bus, that usually
means that
other drivers also have an easier time using public roads
other travellers also can save time using public transportation
other passengers also have an easier time using public transportation
Without the improvements in public transport facilities, including bus-stop waiting
areas improvement,
non-disabled passengers may find it easier to ride a bus
disabled passengers may find it easier to look for a bus
disabled passengers may not be able to use a bus
Where vehicles cross pedestrian areas,
a pedestrian crossing should be built which is safer and more accessible
than any other part of the street
a pedestrian crossing should be built which is safer and less accessible
than any other part of the street
a pedestrian crossing should be built which is easier and much accessible
than any other part of the street
A pedestrian crossing should be preferably designed
so that the pedestrians can have eye contact with the passengers
so that the pedestrians can have eye contact with the disabled persons
so that the pedestrians can have eye contact with the drivers


3. VOCABULARY BUILDING
Complete the crossword using the hints below

ACROSS

DOWN

1 ability to be reached with ease
3 road user on foot
5 physically challenged/incapacitated
7 vehicle used by people with disability
8 ability to move with ease
9 means of transport
10 old people

2 damage
4 to travel on a vehicle
6 user of public transport

CROSSWORD PUZZLE


4.

LISTENING

Accessible Transportation
a. Listen and answer the following questions.
1. What kind of transportation have they made advances in?
2. For whom are Para Transpo buses designed for?
3. Why does Para Transpo follow special training at the Ottawa Rehab Centre?
4. How many accessible taxis do they have now?
5. What do they offer when the accessible equipment are not available?

b. Decide whether the following statements are True or False
1.

They have both conventional fleet and Para Transpo

2.

They use the ramp for trollers and not for the people
with mobility aids.

3.

Our clients have to call Para Transpo 34 hours in
advance in order to book the regular services

4.

A taxi coupon program offers the client 40% of the cost
of the cab

5.

One of the thing they are really working towards is
integrating Para Transpo at OC Transpo