Suggested Citation:
Bhuiya, Md Musfiqur Rahman, Jesus M. Barajas, Md Musleh Uddin Hassan, Hossain Mohiuddin (2026)

How Vehicle Design, Infrastructure Conditions, and Ableism Create Barriers to Travel for People With Disabilities: A Mixed Method Study

Few studies have examined the mobility challenges that people with disabilities face in developing countries. This study addresses the gap in the literature by employing a mixed-methods approach to explore the relationship between mode-specific problems and travel behavior experienced by movement-challenged persons (MCPs) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study attempts to understand the association of mobility challenges with the requirement of being escorted for trip-making, physical and financial challenges associated with availing door-to-door service, and how mobility challenges influence their mode choice. Ten MCPs were interviewed, and 400 MCPs were surveyed to pursue the research objectives. Lack of ramps on buses and additional fare charged by compressed natural gas-driven autorickshaws (locally known as CNG) are the most severe vehicle design and ableism-related problems, respectively. A multinomial logistic regression model reveals that the lack of ramps and space on buses and rude behavior of the bus staff are significant negative determinants of bus use. MCPs are compelled to use rickshaws to balance between accessibility and affordability, rather than using buses. Inaccessible transportation modes, such as buses without a ramp, lead to MCPs receiving negligent behavior from the transportation staff. MCPs are found to pay a “disability tax” as rickshaw pullers do not want to carry an MCP without paying an additional fare. MCPs are more likely to be escorted when they are bus riders or wheelchair users. We suggest possible approaches such as fixed fare structures, raising awareness regarding mobility rights of people with disabilities through social media to alleviate ableism, better monitoring of transportation infrastructures, and provision of accessible public transit to ensure convenient trip-making by people with disabilities.