The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, requiring public transportation companies in the US to provide accommodations for people with disabilities, including wheelchair accessibility and paratransit services. However, many people with disabilities still face challenges with transportation.
Until the late 20th century, transportation options for people with disabilities in the US were quite limited. Public transportation systems were not required to make their buses wheelchair accessible or to provide services to people who were unable to get to the bus stop.
In 1990, that changed when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed. The ADA required public transportation companies to provide accommodations for people with disabilities. As part of this, buses and vans had to have a lift or ramp, allowing people in wheelchairs to travel. In addition, there had to be at least two places on each bus where a wheelchair could be secured. To accommodate this latter requirement, buses and trains often have seats that can be folded out of the way to accommodate a wheelchair.
The ADA also created other mandatory transportation options for people with disabilities. Beginning in 1990, any public transportation company funded by the Federal Transit Association (FTA) must provide paratransit for people who cannot get to the bus stop because of their disability. Paratransit used to be defined simply as flexible transportation, like shared vans or taxis, where vehicles didn’t follow a specific route, but instead picked up and dropped people off where needed. Recently, however, this service has been redefined.
Paratransit is useful for people with disabilities because the vans have the flexibility to pick up passengers without making them walk to a bus stop. For many people with disabilities, having to walk to and from the bus stop or make a transfer would be a severe hardship. Seniors and people with disabilities simply make an appointment for paratransit service to pick them up on the day and time they need transportation.
Unfortunately, many people with disabilities still struggle with transportation. Traveling to and from the bus stop and making connections is often difficult for people with disabilities, and riding the bus in a wheelchair can also be challenging. Although paratransit services are touted for their flexibility, in fact they often require an appointment days or weeks in advance. The public is becoming increasingly aware of obstacles like these in many places, and over time there may be a marked improvement in transportation services for the disabled.
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