This report provides an international overview of the key technical issues on accessible public transportation for persons with disabilities. It begins with a brief description of the prevalence of disability and factors that influence accessibility. It also explains why safe and convenient pedestrian infrastructure is particularly essential for persons with disabilities if they wish to satisfactorily access public transport. It then provides a discussion on design requirements and best practices for vehicles, bus stops and bus and train stations as well as important arguments on the importance of signage and information. The report illustrates best practices for training courses for transport providers and transport users as these have been among the central elements for making public transport services more accessible.

The report also explains how some of the barriers faced by persons with disabilities are often an unintentional result of particular policies of government and transport operators. The state of the public transport system in Malaysia is currently receiving considerable national attention as it should. Indeed, Malaysia hopes that public transport will become the mode of choice of urban commuters over the medium term. In this context, the government has committed to deliver significant improvements in accessibility and connectivity, both of which are embodied in its key performance indicators. It is hoped that the best practices elaborated in this report will serve as useful inputs for Malaysian policy makers as they address the many challenges of improving urban public transportation through the Government Transformation Program.