KC and Detroit are looking to piggyback on Cincinnati’s streetcar order
If you haven’t heard yet, Cincinnati’s streetcar vehicles are going to be top of the line and will be the best found in North America once in operation.
The streetcar vehicles currently in use, or recently ordered in other cities, are an older generation. One of the main functional differences riders will notice is all level-boarding doors – four to be exact. Streetcar vehicles in other cities only have two level-boarding doors, with a third door requiring passengers to go up two steps.
What this means is that the Cincinnati Streetcar system will be the most ADA friendly system in North America. It will be easier for the disabled, the elderly, people with strollers, and bicyclists to use the system. It’s an obvious advantage for CIncinnati and others have taken notice.
Since placing our streetcar vehicle order with CAF, both Kansas City and now Detroit have announced that they would like to get in on the same order. This will help all parties save money and ensure that riders in Detroit and KC have equally impressive operating systems.
Cincinnati’s five initial streetcar vehicles are being built now. Details regarding the vehicle’s color scheme and interior designs are expected to be announced soon.
September 12, 2013 at 10:33 am
Just as a language thing: can we begin substituting “wheelchair user” or “persons with assisted mobility” or “differently-abled” rather than “disabled”. Disabled is often an unintentional pejorative and doesn’t reflect that no-human is inherently dis-able. It is only until the environment in which they exist prohibits their ability to access certain places or accomplishments. Thanks.
September 13, 2013 at 12:49 am
Fair points. Thanks for the input, David!