Created by Riley Hurt in Salem, Oregon

The following is a piece of fiction that encompasses the realities disabled students face when new technology is implemented in their education. Although new technology can address barriers and improve outcomes, it is important to note that the “old” technology was still likely not meeting the needs of disabled students. In this case, current gas-powered buses still do not meet the needs of disabled students. With the creation of new electric buses, the only thing that will improve is emissions, unless needs like reliability, access, and inclusion are addressed in the design.

It is Lucy’s first day of school. Kindergarten.

Kids are always at least a little worried — traipsing off to school for the first time is bittersweet. Lucy should be worried about the color of her new lunch box or how to make new friends. Instead, she is worried about the seemingly mundane task of getting to school.

As the bus approaches her stop, where she waits with other students from her neighborhood, she is giddy with excitement. As the bus doors open, she patiently waits for other students to board the bus. Last in line, her opportunity to board has come.

She waits for the bus driver to open the lift, but the driver stays seated. “Sorry, no one told me a wheelchair was on this route.” Lucy was confused because she remembered sitting in her 504 meeting only weeks before when her mom requested an accessible school bus.

“But I asked for one,” Lucy says.

“We just got new electric buses, and we didn’t order any with wheelchair lifts,” the bus driver answers. The bus driver starts talking on the radio and requests a backup wheelchair lift bus to pick Lucy up. “Another bus will be here soon.” The bus driver pulls away.

Lucy is disappointed and quickly realizes she has lost an opportunity to make friends on the bus.

It is Lucy’s first day of middle school.

She is starting a new adventure at a middle school twice the size of her old school, and Lucy is as ready as she will ever be to get there. Her backpack is stuffed to the brim with locker decorations, which she hopes will help her stand out in the sea of students. Her school district finally ordered electric buses with wheelchair lifts, and today was the first day she would be able to ride on one. 

As she sits at the bus stop waiting with the other students, they don't interact with her. Lucy doesn’t think it’s because the students are rude, but because they simply never had the opportunity to get to know each other. She knows that kids are curious and would likely be fast friends, but there isn't an opportunity to get to know each other if they take separate buses.

The school bus arrives, and students load up. Lucy looks to the driver, a new driver this time, who introduces herself to Lucy. The driver then exits the bus to open the lift, except Lucy knows the button is operated from the inside.

“The button to open the door is on the inside,” she says to the driver. The driver quickly fixes her mistake and resumes opening the lift. Once Lucy is inside the bus, the driver moves toward the head of the bus. “Wait, aren't you going to lock my chair down?”

The bus driver gives Lucy a questionable look. “They never showed me how to do that,” the driver says. Lucy knows how, she has watched the bus driver secure her chair every day during elementary school.

“I can show you,” Lucy says. After a minute is spent untangling the straps, the bus driver follows Lucy’s instruction. Finally, they are ready to go.

As the bus drives to the school, other students start to look anxious. Lucy notices one student looking at their watch. Had it taken that long? The bus arrives at 9:00. Students stand and file towards the door as Lucy waits for the driver to unbuckle her chair. The driver fumbles as they try to undo the straps. Lucy expectantly waits for the driver to unload the ramp. 

She finally makes it inside the school and looks at the clock. 9:15. Students scurry to their classrooms. Lucy had missed the morning “free time” and did not have time to decorate her locker with the other students.

It is Lucy’s first day of high school.

As Lucy waits for the bus, she hears a “clack, clack, clack” from behind her. It almost sounds like wheelchair castors hitting the cracks in the sidewalk. A voice from behind her says, “There are two of us!” Lucy looks over her shoulder.

A girl, who looks about Lucy’s age, sits in a bright pink manual chair. Lucy excitedly asks, “Are you waiting for the bus too?”

The girl replies “Yes! My name is Amanda, it is nice to meet you!”

The bus pulls up to the curb and opens its doors to let students on. Once all of the students have boarded, the driver steps out to unload the lift. The driver stops suddenly and looks surprised.

“Two of you? At one stop?” the driver asks.

Lucy laughs and looks over to Amanda. “More than one disabled person? In one place?” Lucy jests.

Amanda smiles and replies, “Who knew?”

The bus driver loads Lucy into the bus and starts locking her chair down. Lucy realizes that Amanda will be sitting behind her. “Could I sit facing Amanda so we can talk?”

The bus driver replies, “No, you have to sit forward for safety reasons.” Lucy looks over to the students sitting in the seats in front of her. They are all engaged in conversations with their peers. Some students are turned around in their seats to talk to the row behind them, others are leaning into the aisle to talk to students across from them. Lucy envies them.

The bus driver finishes buckling Lucy down and begins loading Amanda. As the bus driver buckles Amanda down, Lucy asks “Are you headed to the high school?” Maybe they can have a conversation like this? Amanda does not reply. Lucy looks over her shoulder expectantly.

Amanda quickly apologizes, “I'm sorry! I have limited hearing and I can’t understand what you are saying because I need to read your lips.” Lucy smiles and nods. The bus driver finishes and walks towards the head of the bus. Moments later, they begin driving away.

It is Lucy’s last day of high school.

Both graduates, Lucy and Amanda, sit waiting for the bus. Lucy is a flurry of emotions: sad, excited, anxious and exhausted. From managing difficult classes to navigating the college application process as a disabled student, there was no shortage of challenging moments. Thankfully, Amanda and Lucy supported each other every step of the way.

The bus arrives, for the last time. Like always, Lucy waits for the other students to board. The bus driver steps out of the bus to unload the ramp.

“Do you want to go first?” Lucy asks Amanda. Suddenly, a BANG comes from the bus. The driver jumps backwards. Lucy’s heart sinks.

“Well, it appears the lift is broken,” the driver says. Lucy’s gaze is stuck on the ramp, her facial expression clearly frustrated. The bus driver notices Lucy’s frustrated look and tries to lighten the mood.

“These buses were expensive! You would think an electric bus, supposedly the transportation of the future, would have a reliable lift.” Lucy looks at the bus driver. Does he not understand? He must not. The only thing reliable is that innovation does not take into account the needs of disabled people.

Riley is a student at Oregon State University, class of 2027.

Hear from more youth voices in Students for Electric School Buses.