ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION
The Americans with Disabilities Act, (ADA) gives people with disabilities many important rights in the area of transportation. This fact sheet is limited to public transportation systems. For more information on your rights to other types of transportation, please contact one of the resources listed on our contact sheet. If you have a disability, you are entitled to the same right to use and enjoy public transportation as people without disabilities. The local transit provider does have the duty to make public transportation accessible. Here are some examples of things that are needed to make a transportation system accessible. Public buses need to be accessible to those in wheelchairs. Drivers need to announce their stops out loud to benefit visually impaired persons who ride the bus. Telephones, drinking fountains, and restrooms inside the terminal should also be accessible.
Paratransit Services
If the local transit authority cannot adequately serve its clients with disabilities in its regular system, it is required to create a parallel transportation system for people with disabilities. This system is referred to as a paratransit system. Paratransit systems are curb-to-curb demand responsive systems. What this means is that you should be able to schedule a trip, be picked up at your door and then be taken to your destination and returned home. You should be able to schedule your ride just twenty-four hours in advance. Your pick-up time should be within one hour before or after your desired departure time. You should not be asked to schedule your trip during off peak hours. The transit authority should put additional vans and buses on the road during peak hours to keep up with the demand.
Complaints
If you feel that you have been discriminated against based on your disability by your local transit provider, you should write a letter to the manager describing the problem. Keep a copy of the letter so that you can have it later to prove that you complained. Sending a letter may prompt a quicker, more positive response from the manager. After receiving your letter, the manager may call you to discuss your problem. If the manager feels it appropriate, the manager will arrange a meeting to discuss your problem with you.
If you have attempted to work out your problem with the local transportation provider and are unsatisfied with the results, you may file a complaint with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). You are not required to contact the local transit provider before filing a complaint with the FTA but it is probably a good idea to do so in most cases. If you choose to file an FTA complaint, here is some more information about the process. The complaint form requires you to give yes/no answers to some questions and give written explanation to others. The form is approximately three pages in length. You should spend some time thinking about your responses before writing them. You may even want to write a rough draft of your comments before you enter them on the form. Doing a draft insures accuracy and clarity, allowing you to make your case in the most favorable light possible. A copy of the complaint form and the address to send it to are enclosed. You may also access a copy of the complaint form at the FTA website listed on the enclosed contact sheet.
You also may have the right to file a lawsuit against your transit provider. For more information about this you should contact a private attorney. If you do not know of one you would like to use you may contact the Lawyer Referral Service at either (803) 799-7100 or toll-free 1-800-868-2284.
CONTACT SHEET FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you have questions about paratransit or public transportation services, you may find the following resources helpful:
Southeast Business & Technical Assistance Center
490 10th Street
Atlanta, GA 30318
1-800-949-4234 (V/TTY)
OR
Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund, (DREDF)
ADA Hotline: 1-800-466-4232
OR
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
Currently, the FTA has no toll-free number to answer direct consumer questions about transportation issues. If you are concerned about this, you may contact your senator or congressional representative. If you wish to contact the FTA with general questions about transportation issues we recommend that you visit their website or write or e-mail them at:
FTA Director
Office of Civil Rights
400 7th Street SW
Room 9102
Washington, DC 20590
ada.assistance@fta.dot.gov
Federal Transit Administration
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Section I Name:_________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone Numbers: (Home)_______________(Work)_________________ Electronic Mail Address:___________________________ Accessible Format Requirements? Large Print _______ Audio tape _____ TDD ___________ Other________________________________________ |
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Office of Civil Rights is responsible for civil rights compliance and monitoring, which includes ensuring that providers of public transportation properly implement Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the ADA), the Department of Transportation (DOT) ADA regulations, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In the FTA complaint investigation process, we analyze the complainant's allegations for possible ADA deficiencies by the transit provider. If deficiencies are identified they are presented to the transit provider and assistance is offered to correct the inadequacies within a predetermined timeframe. FTA also may refer the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice for enforcement.
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Section II Are you filing this complaint on your own behalf? Yes ____ No ____ [If you answered "yes" to this question, go to Section III.] If not, please supply the name and relationship of the person for whom you are complaining: _________________________________________________ Please explain why you have filed for a third party. __________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Please confirm that you have obtained the permission of the aggrieved party if you are filing on behalf of a third party. Yes ____ No ____ |
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Section III Have you previously filed an ADA complaint with FTA? Yes____ No___ If yes, what was your FTA Complaint Number? _____________ [Note: This information is needed for administrative purposes; we will assign the same complaint number to the new complaint.] Have you filed this complaint with any of the following agencies? Transit Provider _____ Department of Transportation ____ Department of Justice_____ Equal Employment Opportunity Commission _____ Other _____________________________________________ Have you filed a lawsuit regarding this complaint? Yes_____ No____ If yes, please provide a copy of the complaint form. [Note: This above information is helpful for administrative tracking purposes. However, if litigation is pending regarding the same issues, we defer to the decision of the court.] |
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Section IV Name of public transit provider complaint is against: _____________________________________________________________________ Contact person: _________________________ Title: __________________________ Telephone number: _____________________________________________________ On separate sheets, please describe your complaint. You should include specific details such as names, dates, times, route numbers, witnesses, and any other information that would assist us in our investigation of your allegations. Please also provide any other documentation that is relevant to this complaint. |
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Section V May we release a copy of your complaint to the transit provider? Yes ____ No ____ May we release your identity to the transit provider? Yes ____ No ____ Please sign here: _____________________________________________ Date: ________________________ [Note - We cannot accept your complaint without a signature.] |
Please mail your completed form to: Director, FTA Office of Civil Rights, 400 7th Street, S.W., Room 9102, Washington, D.C. 20590
You may also contact us by phone at our toll free FTA ADA Assistance Line,
1-888-446-4511, TDD 1-202-366-0153, or through the Federal Information Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339. We can also be reached by electronic mail at: ada.assistance@fta.dot.gov. The FTA Web Page can be found at [http://www.fta.dot.gov].