Part 38 of the ADA requires that public transportation be accessible to people with disabilities. This law requires that public transportation be accessible to people with disabilities. This can mean that all vehicles in a public transportation system have wheelchair access, including lifts on buses and trains. This may also require the transportation system in a given area to provide personal assistance to citizens with particular disabilities. As part of the ADA, all public transportation must be marked for the visually impaired, and all stops must be announced by the driver or by a pre-recording played on loud speakers.
In some locations, where public transportation is not available to all citizens, towns, counties or states offer paratransit options for people with disabilities or for seniors with mobility issues. Paratransit vehicles are designed especially for people with disabilities and may have drivers who are trained specifically in the transportation of people with disabilities. To learn about what is available in a given area, contact your local government or the federal website to find links to your area.
Although all Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees and airline personnel are required by law to understand the needs of people with disabilities, they may not instantly be up to speed on the rights of a citizen with disabilities. It is important for a person with a disability to know his rights before traveling. Since wheelchairs do not fit through scanners, people in wheelchairs must go through pat downs. It is your right to go through security privately. Onboard, the airline must provide stowage for a wheelchair. Many times, this is an onboard closet. Frequently, a wheelchair will be put in the storage cabin with luggage.
Many people with disabilities prefer as much independence as possible. With the technology and training, many people with disabilities can operate their own vehicles. A family vehicle can be adapted for wheelchair access so that a family member with a wheelchair can ride with the family. Motorized wheelchairs and scooters offer an option for people with disabilities to include themselves in public places. The costs of adaptive devices generally fall to the person with the disability; but, frequently, financial assistance or grants are available.
