PRM Ground Coordination Checklist
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The Importance of Dignity and Respect
Ground mobility for Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) cannot be treated as a mere freight-handling exercise. A passenger traveling with an electric wheelchair, a guide dog, or sensory sensitivities deserves an experience centered on dignity, autonomy, and mutual respect.
Too often in airport transit, disabled passengers encounter hurried drivers who attempt to push their manual chairs without asking permission, or vehicles with makeshift ramps that force passengers into awkward or vulnerable postures. True accessibility means certified, purpose-built low-floor vehicles, calm communication, and transparent loading procedures that give the passenger full agency over their personal equipment.
Wheelchair Classification & Vehicle Suitability
Different mobility equipment requires distinct vehicle configurations. Lumping all accessible requirements together leads to severe service failures:
| Mobility Category | Equipment Characteristics | Vehicle Requirement | Boarding Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| WCHR (Ramp/Step Impaired) | Passenger can walk short distances, cannot negotiate bus steps | Low-entry sedan or standard van with grab handles and step stool | Curb-level boarding; wheelchair folded into trunk space |
| WCHS (Severe Walking Impairment) | Passenger cannot walk distances or stairs; can pivot into vehicle seat | Swivel-seat conversion or low-threshold minivan | Manual transfer assistance; direct assistance from trained operator |
| WCHC (Fully Dependent / Powerchair) | Passenger must remain seated in their own custom wheelchair | Dedicated WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle) with certified rear ramp/lift | Headroom clearance (> 140cm), four-point floor clamps, 3-point occupant harness |
Seamless Terminal Handovers
A major vulnerability in airport accessibility occurs at the jurisdictional border between the airport's internal PRM assistance contractor and the commercial ground transport provider. In many terminals, airport assistance teams wheel the traveler to the public exit door and consider their responsibility fulfilled. If the awaiting vehicle is stuck in a staging lot, the passenger is left stranded in high-traffic draughty doorways.
Our protocols mandate a documented digital handshake. The airport assistance contractor checks in with the landside dispatch desk when clearing baggage customs. The vehicle is released to an accessible curbside bay before the traveler enters the public concourse, ensuring direct, continuous escort from terminal to vehicle seat without abandonment.
Driver Training and Sensory Awareness
Accessibility encompasses cognitive, neurodivergent, and sensory requirements as well as physical mobility. Drivers assigned to accessibility mobility runs undergo specialized operational training:
- Clear Verbal Communication: Explaining vehicle maneuvers before initiating ramp boarding or restraint tensioning.
- Sensory Modulation: Disabling intrusive vehicle radio broadcasts, lowering cabin chime volumes, and providing gradual acceleration to avoid passenger disorientation.
- Assistance Animals: Full accommodation of registered guide dogs and assistance animals at the passenger's feet without luggage compartment separation.