Abstract

This study explored access to transportation for people with disabilities based on the accounts of public transportation drivers in the Atacama region of Northern Chile. The study is based on the naturalistic paradigm and uses the theory based on the systematic design of Strauss and Corbin. The analyzed data correspond to the open and axial phases of the methodology. Seven group interviews and three in-depth interviews were conducted, using a sample of 57 drivers. Sixteen categories emerged which, upon being refined through the permanent contrast method, allowed three categories and seven subcategories to be established. Social exclusion, barriers to access, and social position were the main categories, and negative perceptions regarding access prevailed. Gaps and access limitations for people with disabilities were evident in drivers' accounts, which indicate an opportunity for a better understanding of the phenomenon.