Rights and Responsibilities

Your rights under the ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in:

• Employment (Title I)
• State and local government activities including public transportation (Title II)
• Public accommodations provided by private entities including private transportation (Title III)
• Telecommunications (Title IV)

The Act also applies to the United States Congress.

Public transport and the ADA

Title II covers public transportation services such as city buses, subways, commuter rails, and Amtrak.

• Public transit providers may not discriminate against people with disabilities nor can they deny use of the transit provider’s service
• Public transit authorities must comply with requirements for accessibility in newly purchased vehicles, purchase or lease accessible used buses, remanufacture buses in an accessible manner, and provide paratransit services where they operate fixed-route bus or rail systems.
• Paratransit is a transportation service that supplements public transit fixed route systems. The service provides door-to-door service for individuals with disabilities who are unable to use the fixed route service.
• The transit agency must provide paratransit to and from places within corridors that are ¾ mile on each side of all fixed bus route service — making the corridor 1.5 miles wide.
• Paratransit fares may not exceed twice the fare that would be paid by a person paying full fare on a comparable trip on the fixed route system.
• Paratransit must be available during the same hours and days as the transit agency’s fixed route service.

Public transit providers may not discriminate against people with disabilities nor can they deny use of the transit provider’s service.

Private transportation and the ADA

Title III covers privately operated transportation service companies such as taxicab service providers. Privately operated transportation service companies must comply with basic non-discrimination requirements that prohibit exclusion, segregation or unequal treatment of individuals with disabilities.

For more information about civil rights and access to transportation, click here