Regulatory Issues: Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed on July 26, 1990, to protect the civil rights of individuals with disabilities and guarantee everyone the same opportunities to participate in society.
Under the ADA, a person with a disability is defined as:
- An individual with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as breathing, seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, working, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, learning, etc.
- An individual who has a record of such a physical or mental impairment.
- An individual who is regarded as having such as impairment. Discriminatory practices which are illegal under ADA
- Deny transportation to individuals with disabilities (However, it is not discrimination to refuse to provide service to an individual with a disability because that individual engages in violent, seriously disruptive or illegal conduct.)
- Refuse to provide service to an individual with a disability solely because the disability results in the appearance or involuntary behavior that may offend, annoy, or inconvenience the company's employees or other persons.
- Fail to provide reservation services to passengers with disabilities equivalent to those provided to other passengers.
- Require or request a passenger with a disability to reschedule his/her trip/travel time in order to receive transportation.
For additional NTA information on ADA, read the ADA industry report.
ADA Information Services
This list contains the telephone numbers and Internet addresses of federal agencies and other organization that provide inforamtion about ADA and informal guidance in understanding and complying with different provisions of ADA.
The Department of Justice offers technical assistance on the ADA Standards for Accessible Design and other ADA provisions applying to businesses, non-profit service agencies, and state and local government programs. The phone number for the ADA Information Line is 800-514-0301 or www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm.
Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration ADA Assistance Line for regulations and complaints 888-446-4511 or www.fta.dot.gov/office/civ.htm
The Access Board offers technical assistance on the ADA Accessibility Guidelines 800-872-2253 or http://www.access-board.gov/.
Project Action is funded by the US Department of Transportation to provide information about transportation accessibility. Phone 800-659-6428 or http://www.projectaction.org/.
Providing Accessible Service
The rules for delivering accessible motorcoach service went into effect on Oct. 29, 2001 for large fixed-route, charter, tour and other demand responsive motorcoach companies. The rules go into effect for small operators on Oct. 28, 2002.
After these dates, companies must provide service in an accessible coach to a passenger who requests it and gives 49 hours' notice. Small companies may provide equivalent service instead of acquiring accessible coaches.
-- Pocket Handbook, Project Action
For more information Project Action: http://www.projectaction.org/
Back to Regulatory Issues