Accessible Sleeper Trains and the First Wheelchair Taxi in Scotland

Look inside an accessible sleeper cabin, plus watch a new film created by a disabled filmmaker and cast.

Hey, everyone!

Last night, many Wheelchair Travel readers joined the latest Accessible Travel Chat about the DOT’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for accessibility in air travel. We discussed proposed regulations for the training of airline staff, repair of damaged wheelchairs, the loaner wheelchairs airlines provide when a mobility device is delayed or damaged, and more.

You can watch the recording at this link: Accessible Travel Chat on DOT Rules for Airlines (Part 2)

My first ride on a Sleeper Train

Following my meeting last week in London, I traveled to Scotland aboard the Caledonian Sleeper train, which runs between London’s Euston Station and five different stations in Scotland, including Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The journey marked my first time experiencing an accessible sleeper cabin onboard a train, and I was delighted to find that it met my needs — the cabin had plenty of space for my power wheelchair, and a comfortable double bed!

Be sure to read my latest article, Review: Wheelchair Accessible Caledonian Sleeper Train (London to Glasgow), to take a peek inside the train and read my thoughts about this unique travel experience.

Scotland’s First Wheelchair Taxi

When I travel across the United States and around the world, there is a nagging fear in the back of my mind about being stranded — a lack of wheelchair accessible ground transportation, specifically in the form of wheelchair taxis, is a problem that plagues disabled travelers just about everywhere.

I have written before about how London is an exception — every one of its iconic black cabs have a wheelchair ramp, and I discovered the same to also be true in Glasgow, Scotland, which gave me the confidence to explore the city even while pushing my wheelchair’s battery to the limit.

But, wheelchair taxis in England and Scotland haven’t always looked the way they do now. During my tour of Glasgow’s Riverfront Museum, which is dedicated to transportation, I was excited to see the 1980s-era Metrocab on display, lauded as Scotland’s first wheelchair accessible cab.

The particular vehicle on display, manufactured in 1986, remained in service for 11 years and traveled some 700,000 miles on the streets of Glasgow. While its two metal ramps were certainly rudimentary compared to the wheelchair taxi ramps of today, this vehicle is still more than most cities have now.

It was really cool to see a wheelchair taxi on display in a transportation museum, and I wonder if adapted vehicles appear in any other museums around the world?

Something to watch

The 2024 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge has returned for its 11th consecutive year, and judging of the more than 100 submissions is currently underway. You can watch all of the films on the Easterseals YouTube channel, but you should start with Wheelchair Money, directed by my friend Anna Pakman.

Looking ahead

Though I have been on the ground and a bit of a homebody since I returned to the United States this week, my schedule is about to kick into high gear.

Boston Design Week has just kicked-off, and on Friday, May 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Institute for Human Centered Design will be holding an Open House that is free to attend.

Experts presenting at the IHCD Open House. From left to right: Ana Julian, Jan Majewski, Devashree Shah, Pranav Thole, Wilhelmina (Willa) Crolius and Meghan Dufresne.

I serve on IHCD’s Board of Directors and am looking forward to the event — If you live in or are visiting the Boston area next week, I would love to see you there!

You’ll have the chance to meet Taciana and Jason, who work for IHCD and who I recently interviewed during the Accessible Travel Chat with the New England ADA Center. All are welcome and it will surely be a fun event focused on highlighting inclusive design and learning about the great work IHCD is doing.

After the open house, I will catch a flight to Washington, D.C. to attend a wedding, then travel onwards to Fort Wayne, Indiana. I am excited to work with Visit Fort Wayne to highlight the city’s accessible tourism offering, and to build a travel guide for readers of WheelchairTravel.org.

I am also making final preparations for my trip to Hamburg, Germany and the Aircraft Interiors Expo, where many new products will be unveiled. I’ll be reporting live from the event, and hope to shine a spotlight on innovations that will improve the disabled passenger experience. If you would like to support this work, you may upgrade to a paid newsletter subscription at any time. Your continued support, and that of the many readers who have already upgraded, is greatly appreciated!

Talk to you next week,
John