Over fifteen years have passed since the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requiring transit operators to offer paratransit service, as well as accessible fixed-route services, to people with disabilities. APTA and the public transportation industry continue to play a key role in the implementation of the ADA. APTA members remain dedicated to providing mobility options for all persons, especially those with disabilities.
APTA’s Access Committee has been in the forefront of the association’s efforts to address the broad range of mobility issues for people with disabilities, seniors and the transportation disadvantaged through the establishment of the APTA Accessibility Standards Program.
The purpose of this program is to authorize and initiate the development of accessibility standards and recommended practices for the transit industry. This approach will include the identification and prioritization of accessibility standards that the industry feels would be useful and appropriate and to focus on those areas that will strengthen the health and effectiveness of the industry.
The APTA Accessibility Standards workgroups will develop standards, recommended practices, and/or guidelines for the industry based on the following problem statement. To successfully accomplish these objectives will require broad-based transit industry participation from the public and private sectors, and representatives of public interest, disability and consumer organizations.
These standards/recommended practices may potentially impact all the bus and paratransit, commuter rail, and rail transit operations, as well as on a variety of issues with regard to policy and planning, legal affairs and legislation. To participate in this effort or for more information please contact:
Pamela Boswell, VP-PMES
pboswell@apta.com
202-496-4803
Heidi Salati, Sr. Program Mgr.
hsalati@apta.com
202-496-4818