Towards Inclusive Mobility: Strategic Issues in Transportation Access for Malaysian University Students with Disabilities

Abstract

This study explores the transportation barriers faced by university students with disabilities (PWDs) in Malaysia, highlighting how accessibility challenges impact their mobility and social inclusion. Despite policy efforts aimed at promoting inclusivity, lived realities reveal systemic infrastructural, attitudinal, and financial constraints that continue to marginalize PWD students. Utilizing a qualitative phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five students with diverse disabilities in UiTM, Seremban. Findings indicate three major themes: inadequate transport infrastructure (e.g., non-functional elevators, lack of universal design), negative societal perceptions (e.g., stigma, lack of staff training), and high transport costs especially for e-hailing services used as alternatives to inaccessible public transit. These barriers disrupt students’ independence, punctuality, and participation in academic and extracurricular activities. The study underscores that transportation access is not merely a logistical concern but a matter of social justice, closely linked to educational equity and national development goals under the MADANI framework. It calls for collaborative interventions between universities, transport authorities, and policymakers to implement universal design standards, conduct disability sensitivity training, and provide financial support for accessible mobility. The study offers empirical insights to inform inclusive campus planning and national transport policies that reflect the lived experiences of students with disabilities.