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Miscellaneous Sweden Trip Information [1971-1981] [5]
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Miscellaneous Sweden Trip Information [1971-1981] [5]
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administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
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Record Group/Collection:
Donated Historical Materials
Collection/Office of Origin: Frieden, Lex, Collection
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International
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Countries
OA/ID Number:
52047
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Folder Title:
Miscellaneous Sweden Trip Information [1971-1981] [5]
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5
ATIONAL TRANSPORT BOARD FOR THE HANDICAPPED
1980-03-03
REGERINGSGATAN 13 (6)
S-111 53 STOCKHOLM
GUIDELINES FOR NATIONAL TRANSPORT SERVICE FOR THE
SEVERELY HANDICAPPED - EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES
ABSTRACT:
A
new transport service, designated the national transport
service for the severely handicapped, was introduced 1980-05-01
for a trial period of three years for certain severely handi-
capped persons.
The aim of the national transport service is to enable a special
group of people who, from public transportation considerations,
are severely handicapped to travel over long distances inside
Sweden.
It is assumed that a journey using the national transport service
does normally use the ordinary means of long-distance transport.
The disabled traveller pays what a second class railway ticket
for the distance would cost.
The Swedish Riksdag has appropriated SEK 20 million per year
for the experimental activities.
The aim of the experimental activities is to improve the relevant
data before reaching a final decision on a system for the national
transport service. A special board, the National Transport Board
for the Handicapped, is responsible for the experimental activities.
NATIONAL TRANSPORT BOARD FOR THE HANDICAPPED
1980-03-03
1
REGERINGSGATAN 13 (6)
S-111 53 STOCKHOLM
GUIDELINES FOR NATIONAL TRANSPORT SERVICE FOR THE SEVERELY
HANDICAPPED - EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES
1. INTRODUCTION
As proposed in proposition 1978/99 on a new transportation policy
the Swedish Riksdag determined in June, 1979 that all means of
transportation and terminals are to be progessively adapted for use
by the disabled and handicapped. The adaption of public transport to
the disabled and handicapped was prescribed at the same time in a
special Act. A central authority - the Swedish Board of Transport -
was given the job of planning, initiating and monitoring the adaption
to the handicapped and was given the responsibility of co-ordinating
standardization. At the same time a new transport service, designated
the national transport service for the severely handicapped, was in-
troduced for a trial period of three years for certain severely handi-
capped persons.
The aim of the national transport service is to enable a special
group of people who, from public transportation considerations, are
severely handicapped to travel over long distances inside Sweden.
Thus the national transport service concentrates on a smaller
group than those who at present have permission to use the municipal
transport service. Several individuals who are entitled to use the
municipal transport service should consequently, as a result of the
progressive adaption of public transport to the disabled and handi-
capped, etc., be able to travel long distances without resort to the
national transport service.
It is assumed that a journey using the national transport service
does normally use the ordinary means of long-distance transport.
The disabled traveller pays what a second class railway ticket for
the distance would cost. Normally onward journeys in the home muni-
cipality and that being visited are made using the municipal trans-
port service with the traveller paying the tariff determined for the
municipal transport service in question.
2
The Swedish Riksdag has appropriated SEK 20 million per year for
the experimental activities. These funds are primarily intended to
cover the difference between the real cost for the long-distance
journey and the price of a second class railway ticket.
The aim of the experimental activities is to improve the relevant
data before reaching a final decision on a system for the national
transport service. A special board, the National Transport Board
for the Handicapped, is responsible for the experimental activities.
The Board has drawn up the guidelines for the experimental activi-
ties which appear below. These define the persons entitled to use
the national transport service, approval and organizational pro- -
cedures, cost distribution, etc. The guidelines can be changed
during the trial period should this be found necessary.
Neither the municipal transport service nor the national transport
service should be regarded as a permanent solution to the problem
of transporting the handicapped and disabled. The present scope of
the transport service for the handicapped is in fact to a conside-
rable extent due to the lack of public transport that can be used
by the disabled. It should consequently be possible to reallocate
some of the funds which at present are being spent on transport
services as public transport progressively adapts to the handicapped
and disabled.
As from 1981 local and regional public transport in several counties
will be co-ordinated by one organization. This will create the pos -
sibility of integrating the municipal transport service into traffic
planning in general.
3
2.
GUIDELINES
2.1 Conditions for permission
The requirements which appear below must be met in order to obtain
permission for a national transport journey.
2.1.1 The traveller
Those persons who due to a severe, permanent disability must
use a means of transport that is especially expensive are en-
titled to use the national transport service.
Comments: The requirement that the disability should be severe has
been made in order to emphasize that the national transport service
is intended for the severely handicapped and consequently for a con-
siderably smaller group than those who at present are entitled to use
the municipal transport service. It has been estimated that approx.
one-tenth of those who are entitled to use the municipal transport
service can also require the national transport service.
A permanent disability is defined as one that is estimated as lasting
at least six months.
It is not simply the traveller's disability which determines if per-
mission is to be granted. A further provision is that the journey
would be particularly expensive as a result of the disability. There
can be various reasons why a disability can make a journey more ex-
pensive than otherwise. Here are some examples.
Example 1. A person in a wheelchair is going to make a long journey.
The traveller must have personal help when visiting the toilet if the
journey is made by train and is going to take a long time. The
traveller can then either make the journey by train with an attendant
or alone by plane. The cost for the attendant and the difference be-
tween a second class railway ticket and plane fare is an additional
cost.
4
Example 2. A person suffering from severe eczema, e.g. chronic
psoriasis, can require a single-berth compartment when travelling over-
night. The charge in excess of second class railway ticket (incl.
a second class sleeping compartment) is an additional cost.
Example 3. Someone who, because of a handicap, must be transported
lying down cannot make a specific journey but has to use a plane or
special vehicle. The charge in excess of a second class railway tic-
ket is in additional cost.
Example 4. A blind person can manage a long journey by plane on
his own, but not a journey by train which involves changing trains.
The difference between the price of a second class train ticket and
a plane ticket is an additional cost.
In the initial stages of the experimental period permission is re-
quired for each individual journey. When determining whether permis -
sion should be granted the circumstances pertaining to each indivi- -
dual case must be evaluated. Perhaps a person who must travel in a
way which incurs additional costs for one type of journey will not
need to do so for another type of journey. One example is the travel-
ler who because of his disability requires help when changing trains.
He can therefore be entitled to the national transport service for
the cost of an attendant for a long journey by train involving several
connections but this would not be necessary for a through journey by
train. A person confined to a wheelchair who can move his upper body
to some extent can initially require an attendant because of insecur-
ity or lack of experience, but can perhaps manage the journey on his
own once he has made it a few times.
2.1.2 The purpose of the journey:
Permission for using the national transport service for a
journey assumes that it is being taken for recreational or
other private purposes. In certain cases permission may also
be granted for isolated business trips, journeys for elected
officials of associations/societies or journeys of a similar
nature.
5
Permission is not granted for journeys taken for medical
treatment as these are paid for by the social insurance
offices, insurance companies or county councils. Neither is
permission granted for journeys to or from educational esta-
blishments which meet the travelling expenses of their pupils.
Comments: All journeys involved with medical treatment or schooling
are already mainly paid for by public funds. Employers pay for busi-
ness trips made by the disabled to the same extent as for other em-
ployees. Journeys covered by the national transport service will
therefore mainly be those made for private purposes i.e. holidays,
visiting relatives and the suchlike.
Remuneration is not paid for daily business trips using e.g. special
vehicles. If an employer is not prepared to meet the additional costs
that a handicapped person must bear in the case of an isolated journey,
permission for a national transport service journey may be applied for.
In such a case the remuneration takes the form of the difference be-
tween the travel expenses that the employer would pay to a non-handi- -
capped employee and the costs to the handicapped person.
When applying for permission for a national transport service journey
the traveller should state, in general terms, the purpose of the jour-
ney (e.g. recreation, association/society business). However, it is
not necessary to motivate the need of the journey.
2.1.3
The scope of the journey and means of transport
For a journey to be considered a national transport service
journey it must be longer than 100 km (62 miles), i.e. 200 km
(124 miles) there and back. Even if the length of the journey
is. less than 100 km the journey can be considered a national
transport service journey if the entire journey must be made
by taxi or special vehicle and the traveller's own travelling
costs for the round trip exceed SEK 100. A trip which is con-
ducted within the borders of one and the same municipality can
never be regarded as a national transport service journey.
6
A long journey covered by the national transport service should
normally be made by rail or air. Coach and boat can also be em- -
ployed. The municipal transport service at the place in ques -
tion should be used for local transportation to or from the
railway station, bus, air or boat terminal. If it is not pos -
sible to use any other means of transport than a taxi or
special transport service vehicle, then this means of transport
should be used for the entire journey.
It is incumbent upon the traveller to use the means of trans-
port which is cheapest with consideration to his disability and
the circumstances of the journey. Cut-price tickets and other
forms of rebate should be utilized unless there are special
reasons to the contrary. As far as is possible the traveller is
to take advantage of the available opportunities of sharing
taxis and special vehicles.
Comments: Using the cheapest means of transport with consideration to
the circumstances means e.g. that a journey should not be made by
plane if the traveller can make the trip e.g. by rail in a single-
berth compartment at a lower additional cost. Conversely, if it is
cheaper for a traveller to fly than to go by rail with an attendant,
then air should be used. By the same token planes should be used in-
stead of special vehicles for long journeys if this is possible with
consideration to the nature of the disability.
Special reasons should exist for a traveller to be released from the
obligation of purchasing cut-price tickets. Acceptable reasons include
the fact that the purpose of the journey demands that it be made on a
particular day, that it is of an urgent nature or that the purchase
of a cut-price railway ticket is not motivated.
2.1.4 The traveller's travel costs
The traveller shall always pay what a second class railway
ticket would cost for the distance travelled at the time the
journey is made.
7
The traveller is to meet the costs of the municipal transport
services at the place of departure and arrival according to
the tariffs in force in the respective municipalities. If a
trip is made in connection with a national transport service
journey using a taxi or special vehicle which extends outside
the municipality the entire journey made by taxi or special
vehicle is to be met by the government appropriation for the
national transport service.
All other costs. for the national transport service journey
including the cost of transporting aids needed by the travel-
ler on his trip are to be met by the government appropriation
for the national transport service.
Comments: If the planned journey cannot be made by rail, the cost for
a second class railway ticket is to be estimated using the distance
by road for the journey and following the "Tariff Tables for Railway
Journeys" in the publication "Sveriges Kommunikationer".
If the journey is made on a day when cut-price tickets are available
then the traveller is to pay the cut-price for a second class railway
ticket. This also applies even if the journey is made using a means
of transport other than train. If the journey is made on a day when
cut-price tickets are not available (i.e. at present Fridays and
Sundays ) the traveller is to pay the normal price for a second class
railway ticket.
Travelling companions in taxis or special vehicles are to pay what a
second class railway ticket would cost for the distance in question
at the time that the journey was made.
2.1.5
Attendant's travel costs
Travellers who cannot manage the journey alone using the
services normally made available by the transport company and
the transport service staff are entitled to an attendant. The
travel costs, but not salaries and travel allowances, for the
attendant are met by the government appropriation for the
8
national transport service.
Comments: The need for an attendant should be carefully examined.
The need should be justified by the fact that the traveller must
have assistance during the actual journey due to his disability,
possible lack of accessibility in the means of transport and limit-
ations in the service offered by the transport company and municipal
transport service.
As a rule anxiety and fear of a journey are not sufficient reason
for the cost of an attendant's journey to be met by the government
appropriation for the national transport service. Neither as a rule
does the traveller who journeys with family members require a special
attendant.
The traveller is to procure the attendant himself.
2.2 Procedure for granting permission and the execution of the
journey.
2.2.1 Issuing authority:
Permission for a national transport service journey is gran- -
ted by the municipal body at the traveller's place of resi-
dence which grants permission for the municipal transport
service.
Comments: Permission is required for each individual journey during
the initial stages of the experimental period. Later on in the ex- -
periment general permission can be granted, in any case for certain
travellers.
It is important that the traveller's situation and the conditions un-
der which a journey is to be made are thoroughly investigated when
the first application is submitted. For subsequent journeys the in- -
formation which is then available can be used when considering the
application.
9
It is assumed that a certain amount of data on the journeys and the
travellers will be collected in order for the experiment with the
national transport service to be evaluated at a later date. Applica-
tions for a national transport service journey should therefore be
made in writing using a special form obtainable from the National
Transport Board for the Handicapped. When making the first applica- -
tion all the information requested should be provided. When making
subsequent applications only a certain amount of information need
be provided. Consequently a simpler procedure is used for subsequent
applications. Verbal applications in person or over the telephone
with a municipal employee completing the form should then be accep-
table.
If permission is granted the applicant should be informed in writing
to this effect on the above-mentioned form. Refusals should be moti-
vated. The permission should outline the means of transport to be
used by the traveller and should furthermore contain a reminder that
certain costs are to be paid by the traveller (see section 2.1.4).
2.2.2 Travel organizer
The journey should be booked with the Swedish Railways Travel
Bureau. This applies even if the entire journey is to be made
by taxi or special vehicle. The traveller is to pay his part
of the cost of the journey to the travel bureau. It is the
responsibility of the travel bureau, using the information
contained in the above-mentioned form, to arrange the journey
in the cheapest possible way.
The travel bureau is to provide the traveller with the ticket
for the journey and the documents the traveller requires to
make the journey by taxi or special vehicle.
ATIONAL TRANSPORT BOARD FOR THE HANDICAPPED
1980-03-03
REGERINGSGATAN 13 (6)
S-111 53 STOCKHOLM
GUIDELINES FOR NATIONAL TRANSPORT SERVICE FOR THE
SEVERELY HANDICAPPED - EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES
ABSTRACT:
A new transport service, designated the national transport
service for the severely handicapped, was introduced 1980-05-01
for a trial period of three years for certain severely handi-
capped persons.
The aim of the national transport service is to enable a special
group of people who, from public transportation considerations,
are severely handicapped to travel over long distances inside
Sweden.
It is assumed that a journey using the national transport service
does normally use the ordinary means of long-distance transport.
The disabled traveller pays what a second class railway ticket
for the distance would cost.
The Swedish Riksdag has appropriated SEK 20 million per year
for the experimental activities.
The aim of the experimental activities is to improve the relevant
data before reaching a final decision on a system for the national
transport service. A special board, the National Transport Board
for the Handicapped, is responsible for the experimental activities.
NATIONAL TRANSPORT BOARD FOR THE HANDICAPPED
1980-03-03
1
REGERINGSGATAN 13 (6)
S-111 53 STOCKHOLM
GUIDELINES FOR NATIONAL TRANSPORT SERVICE FOR THE SEVERELY
HANDICAPPED - EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITIES
1. INTRODUCTION
As proposed in proposition 1978/99 on a new transportation policy
the Swedish Riksdag determined in June, 1979 that all means of
transportation and terminals are to be progessively adapted for use
by the disabled and handicapped. The adaption of public transport to
the disabled and handicapped was prescribed at the same time in a
special Act. A central authority - the Swedish Board of Transport -
was given the job of planning, initiating and monitoring the adaption
to the handicapped and was given the responsibility of co-ordinating
standardization. At the same time a new transport service, designated
the national transport service for the severely handicapped, was in-
troduced for a trial period of three years for certain severely handi-
capped persons.
The aim of the national transport service is to enable a special
group of people who, from public transportation considerations, are
severely handicapped to travel over long distances inside Sweden.
Thus the national transport service concentrates on a smaller
group than those who at present have permission to use the municipal
transport service. Several individuals who are entitled to use the
municipal transport service should consequently, as a result of the
progressive adaption of public transport to the disabled and handi-
capped, etc., be able to travel long distances without resort to the
national transport service.
It is assumed that a journey using the national transport service
does normally use the ordinary means of long-distance transport.
The disabled traveller pays what a second class railway ticket for
the distance would cost. Normally onward journeys in the home muni-
cipality and that being visited are made using the municipal trans-
port service with the traveller paying the tariff determined for the
municipal transport service in question.
2
The Swedish Riksdag has appropriated SEK 20 million per year for
the experimental activities. These funds are primarily intended to
cover the difference between the real cost for the long-distance
journey and the price of a second class railway ticket.
The aim of the experimental activities is to improve the relevant
data before reaching a final decision on a system for the national
transport service. A special board, the National Transport Board
for the Handicapped, is responsible for the experimental activities.
The Board has drawn up the guidelines for the experimental activi-
ties which appear below. These define the persons entitled to use
the national transport service, approval and organizational pro- -
cedures, cost distribution, etc. The guidelines can be changed
during the trial period should this be found necessary.
Neither the municipal transport service nor the national transport
service should be regarded as a permanent solution to the problem
of transporting the handicapped and disabled. The present scope of
the transport service for the handicapped is in fact to a conside-
rable extent due to the lack of public transport that can be used
by the disabled. It should consequently be possible to reallocate
some of the funds which at present are being spent on transport
services as public transport progressively adapts to the handicapped
and disabled.
As from 1981 local and regional public transport in several counties
will be co-ordinated by one organization. This will create the pos -
sibility of integrating the municipal transport service into traffic
planning in general.
3
2.
GUIDELINES
2.1 Conditions for permission
The requirements which appear below must be met in order to obtain
permission for a national transport journey.
2.1.1 The traveller
Those persons who due to a severe, permanent disability must
use a means of transport that is especially expensive are en-
titled to use the national transport service.
Comments: The requirement that the disability should be severe has
been made in order to emphasize that the national transport service
is intended for the severely handicapped and consequently for a con-
siderably smaller group than those who at present are entitled to use
the municipal transport service. It has been estimated that approx.
one-tenth of those who are entitled to use the municipal transport
service can also require the national transport service.
A permanent disability is defined as one that is estimated as lasting
at least six months.
It is not simply the traveller's disability which determines if per-
mission is to be granted. A further provision is that the journey
would be particularly expensive as a result of the disability. There
can be various reasons why a disability can make a journey more ex-
pensive than otherwise. Here are some examples.
Example 1. . A person in a wheelchair is going to make a long journey.
The traveller must have personal help when visiting the toilet if the
journey is made by train and is going to take a long time. The
traveller can then either make the journey by train with an attendant
or alone by plane. The cost for the attendant and the difference be-
tween a second class railway ticket and plane fare is an additional
cost.
4
Example 2. A person suffering from severe eczema, e.g. chronic
psoriasis, can require a single-berth compartment when travelling over-
night. The charge in excess of second class railway ticket (incl.
a second class sleeping compartment) is an additional cost.
Example 3. Someone who, because of a handicap, must be transported
lying down cannot make a specific journey but has to use a plane or
special vehicle. The charge in excess of a second class railway tic-
ket is in additional cost.
Example 4. A blind person can manage a long journey by plane on
his own, but not a journey by train which involves changing trains.
The difference between the price of a second class train ticket and
a plane ticket is an additional cost.
In the initial stages of the experimental period permission is re-
quired for each individual journey. When determining whether permis-
sion should be granted the circumstances pertaining to each indivi- -
dual case must be evaluated. Perhaps a person who must travel in a
way which incurs additional costs for one type of journey will not
need to do so for another type of journey. One example is the travel-
ler who because of his disability requires help when changing trains.
He can therefore be entitled to the national transport service for
the cost of an attendant for a long journey by train involving several
connections but this would not be necessary for a through journey by
train. A person confined to a wheelchair who can move his upper body
to some extent can initially require an attendant because of insecur-
ity or lack of experience, but can perhaps manage the journey on his
own once he has made it a few times.
2.1.2
The purpose of the journey:
Permission for using the national transport service for a
journey assumes that it is being taken for recreational or
other private purposes. In certain cases permission may also
be granted for isolated business trips, journeys for elected
officials of associations/societies or journeys of a similar
nature.
5
Permission is not granted for journeys taken for medical
treatment as these are paid for by the social insurance
offices, insurance companies or county councils. Neither is
permission granted for journeys to or from educational esta-
blishments which meet the travelling expenses of their pupils.
Comments: All journeys involved with medical treatment or schooling
are already mainly paid for by public funds. Employers pay for busi-
ness trips made by the disabled to the same extent as for other em-
ployees. Journeys covered by the national transport service will
therefore mainly be those made for private purposes i.e. holidays,
visiting relatives and the suchlike.
Remuneration is not paid for daily business trips using e.g. special
vehicles. If an employer is not prepared to meet the additional costs
that a handicapped person must bear in the case of an isolated journey,
permission for a national transport service journey may be applied for.
In such a case the remuneration takes the form of the difference be-
tween the travel expenses that the employer would pay to a non-handi- -
capped employee and the costs to the handicapped person.
When applying for permission for a national transport service journey
the traveller should state, in general terms, the purpose of the jour-
ney (e.g. recreation, association/society business). However, it is
not necessary to motivate the need of the journey.
2.1.3
The scope of the journey and means of transport
For a journey to be considered a national transport service
journey it must be longer than 100 km (62 miles), 9 i.e. 200 km
(124 miles) there and back. Even if the length of the journey
is less than 100 km the journey can be considered a national
transport service journey if the entire journey must be made
by taxi or special vehicle and the traveller's own travelling
costs for the round trip exceed SEK 100. A trip which is con-
ducted within the borders of one and the same municipality can
never be regarded as a national transport service journey.