Barbadians living with disabilities will soon have better access to special transport, as the government moves to expand its fleet of wheelchair-accessible buses before the end of the year, a senior government official said on Monday.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Mark Franklin, announced the move during the opening of the Caribbean Disability Conference at the Wyndham Grand Barbados. He said that addressing transport challenges for people with disabilities remains a key government priority.
“One area of constant demand is transportation for disabled persons, including school children,” Franklin noted. “Through our National Disabilities Unit, the government provides a Call-A-Ride service and has articulated its commitment to addressing the shortage in disabled-friendly vehicles. Meeting the demand is a challenge we intend to meet head-on, and we are in the process of acquiring additional suitable transportation to meet said demand.”
According to the director of the National Disabilities Unit (NDU), Wayne Nurse, the first two of these new wheelchair-accessible vehicles are expected to arrive before the end of 2025, with plans to add two more each year thereafter.
The NDU operates five vehicles, but only two are fully wheelchair-accessible due to malfunctioning lifts on some of the older models. The new buses, Nurse explained, will come fully retrofitted with durable lifts designed to last longer and handle daily use.
“We were assured that the shipment is on its way to Barbados,” Nurse said. “We’re starting with two vehicles this year, and the goal is to ensure that every new vehicle we acquire going forward is wheelchair-accessible.”
The National Disabilities Unit has been utilising the Transport Board to move large groups of people with disabilities, including students, under its Call-A-Ride initiative. This partnership sought to ensure that individuals who depend on wheelchair-accessible transport can continue to access essential services, schools, and community events while the government upgrades its own fleet.
The new buses will be capable of carrying eight to 12 passengers, including those in wheelchairs, and will be designed to navigate smaller residential areas that larger vehicles cannot access.
“Persons who rely on wheelchairs are the ones who often face the highest costs when trying to source private transport,” Nurse said. “By expanding our fleet, we want to ease that burden and make it easier for them to move around and conduct their daily affairs.”
The announcement came during a wider regional discussion on breaking barriers and advancing inclusive education for all abilities, at the Caribbean Disability Conference. Franklin stressed that inclusion goes beyond policy — it requires empathy, accessibility, and tangible support systems.
“Breaking these barriers must be part of the underlying philosophy for all that we do,” he said. “We must build a Caribbean where everyone, regardless of ability, has a seat at the table and a place in the sunshine.”
The initiative to increase the fleet of wheelchair-accessible vehicles forms part of the government’s 2023–2030 National Policy for Persons with Disabilities and aligns with new rights-based legislation passed in January 2025, aimed at improving accessibility, participation, and inclusion for all citizens.
(LG)
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