Braille buttons and Sigismund III Vasa
Published 25 November 2009
Last modified 3 June 2019
Buses with new “Warsaw” pattern on the seat upholstery and special buttons with Braille inscriptions have already appeared in the streets of the capital city.
At the end of October, first five buses with new dark red upholstery showing the Sigismund’s Column against a background of the Royal Castle have appeared in the streets. Beforehand only standard cold blue or grey upholstery was used in vehicles delivered to Warsaw. Now buses have become more “Warsaw like” and cozy inside.
Warsaw Transport Authority also puts great emphasis on adapting vehicles to the needs of passengers, who have problems with unassisted use of public transport. That is why buttons to open doors in new vehicles have been marked with Braille inscriptions. The inscription ”STOP “ has been placed on the buttons right by doors and the letter “S” in this alphabet on remaining buttons.
In new vehicles the button illuminates red after pressing. After stopping at the stop, when a driver turns on the option of opening doors by passengers themselves, the door which the button had been pressed by previously will open automatically. Buttons by other doors will illuminate green to inform about the possibility of opening them.
In buses doorsteps and edges of the landings where the seats are placed, have been marked in more contrasting way to help the passengers with poor eyesight. Doorsteps have been marked with yellow and black slats. This combination of colors is most noticeable for people with serious sight defects.
A huge display has also been placed by middle door inside a vehicle. It has replaced static information plates with so called “beads” used so far. Now only a current direction, in which a bus is going, is shown at the display. A distance already covered is displayed grey, which informs passengers where they are at the moment. In addition to that, ride time according to the timetable is displayed at each stop counting from the present stop.
Information about possible changes to specific bus and tram lines will also be displayed soon. It was not possible to give such detailed information on the static plates.
Displays situated outside vehicles have greater possibilities, too. Information about the end terminus, drive to the depot or changed route can be displayed at a broader rear display, which was impossible beforehand. The end terminus and streets constituting route of a particular line are shown at the side display.
One can encounter new buses within the lines 174, 178, 180 and on free days also within the lines 100 and 122. The company Mobilis will introduce 54 vehicles – 31 of them will be standard 12 meter long and 23 of them will be shorter, namely 8.6 meter midibuses. Last buses from this delivery will go in the streets on January, 5 2010. The new pattern of upholstery and facilities for passengers will appear in all 54 vehicles.
Described vehicles represent new standard of equipment and marking (displays, marking friendly for blind persons and those having poor eyesight). This standard will be used in subsequent vehicles introduced in the streets of Warsaw, including 186 PESA tram cars, which will be delivered in the second half of the year 2010.
