QUANTUM by Q’Straint is transit’s first fully automatic rear-facing wheelchair securement station.
Q’POD is the industry’s first fully-integrated forward-facing
wheelchair securement station specifically designed and tested
for transit wheelchair passenger transportation. The system bolts
directly into a bus, and its integrated shoulder belt eliminates the
need for window brackets. Its stabilizing bumper works with the front
tensioner and scooter ring – which allows for three-point securement
and less aisle way trip hazards.
“Q’POD and QUANTUM offer MCAT the latest technology in
forward- and rear-facing wheelchair securement,” Drouillard says.
“Both systems reduce dwell times by significantly speeding up
the wheelchair securement process, which can often take up to five
minutes to complete.”
According to Q’Straint, the QUANTUM system can secure a
wheelchair in less than 25 seconds; from when the passenger pushes
the occupant-secure button to final securement. The Q’POD reduces a
four-point system’s securement time by half.
“This is so important because not only does it help the operator
maintain the route schedule, it also reduces liability by providing
a safe and easy method to secure difficult mobility devices,”
Drouillard says.
Installation and training
The QUANTUM was installed as a retrofit to an existing MCAT 35-
foot bus. Typically, theatre style flip seats are selected for passenger use
in this area and will most likely be added on new bus builds moving
forward.
In addition to hands-on training for the operators and route
supervisors, Q’Straint also provided maintenance training for MCAT
fleet technicians. The Q’Straint and MCAT teams took great measures
prior to the installation to address any concerns regarding this new
technology. Educating the ridership and MCAT staff on the front-end
is the key reason for the positive acceptance at all levels.
“I have always found the Q’Straint staff to be friendly and easy to
work with,” Egbert says. “They always come with a friendly, positive,
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and helpful attitude. Their team made sure that MCAT staff fully
understood everything needed for successful operation of these
securement systems.”
Constituent feedback
Egbert says that first-time QUANTUM users are sometimes skeptical,
as self-securement is a brand-new concept. Their first fear, he says, is of
riding while rear facing. However, after using the system, passengers
express their belief that this system offers a new sense of independence
and another level of normalcy, when compared to transit ambulatory
boarding passengers.
“They enjoy the fact that they now have the independence to board
and complete the wheelchair securement process on their own, without
relying on the bus operator,” he says. “Furthermore, wheelchair
passengers no longer feel as though other passengers are blaming them
for delaying the bus and maybe even running late.”
He says that MCAT operators love the QUANTUM, because it allows
them to stay in their seats while passengers self-secure their wheelchair
device. Egbert says the Q’POD is also “a big hit,” as it’s a time saver
and less invasive to the wheelchair passenger’s personal space, while
providing a higher level of wheelchair securement during travel.
Transforming the transit experience
“The QUANTUM is a great win in many ways for Manatee County
Government and especially MCAT,” he says. “For transit operations,
it provides better schedule adherence, and for potential safety
issues and liability concerns, wheelchair tip-overs are completely
eliminated. Q’Straint is the only wheelchair securement system I’ve
ever known during my 35 years in the transit industry. With the
company’s defining state-of-the-art equipment, high standards in
new product development, and the ability to work effectively with
transit agencies during new product development, there is simply no
need to look elsewhere.”