On the one hand, facts and research show that disability-friendly transportation can be hard to come by:
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While progress in improving transportation for people with disabilities has
been evident in the past decade, persistent barriers remain, the National
Council on Disability reports.
“Much has happened in the last decade. More people with disabilities are
riding public transit than ever before and yet, in many areas, significant
barriers to ground transportation for Americans with disabilities remain
pervasive,” said chairman Jeff Rosen in a statement.
The report will be formally released on Monday as the national council, which
advises the president, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policy,
meets in Pittsburgh, part of a series of events marking the 25th anniversary of
the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
While the report praises the gains in public transit, it singled out the
nascent alternative taxi industry for failing to do enough to accommodate
individuals with disabilities.
“Taxi alternatives like Uber, SideCar, Lyft and others could open up exciting
business opportunities and provide much-needed travel options for passengers
with disabilities,” said Marilyn Golden, senior policy analyst for the
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, authors of the report.
However, court cases and news reports “show potential customers being
routinely discriminated against because of service dogs and wheelchairs,” she
said.
A synopsis of the report says: “Emerging transportation models like Uber,
SideCar and Lyft have vigorously resisted regulations typically imposed on the
taxicab sector, harming the taxi industry and evading requirements that serve
the public interest, including deficits in service to people with disabilities.
Uber openly claims it is not covered by the ADA.”
The report also took Amtrak to task, saying the passenger railroad “has
lagged behind in meeting ADA requirements for its stations, platforms, train
cars, reservations practices and communications access.”
Spokespersons for Uber, Lyft and the railroad could not immediately be
reached for comment.
Other findings as detailed in the synopsis are that ridership on traditional
fixed-route buses and rails by people with disabilities has grown far faster
than use of specialized paratransit services. It said “great gains” have been
made in best practices for paratransit in on-time performance, telephone wait
times, no-show policies and eligibility standards “but they are often not
implemented.”
The council report said minimal transit service in rural and remote areas
“still creates serious barriers to employment, accessible health care and full
participation in society.”
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On the other hand, if you are traveling by plane, the TSA says it is there to help you:
ORLANDO, Fla. — At Orlando International Airport alone, nearly 130,000
travelers went through security checkpoints this past weekend as spring break
begins in earnest.
Transportation Security Administration managers said Monday that they want
passengers to know that help is available if they have special needs.
The federal agency, which checks people for contraband before they board a
plane, is encouraging people to check with officers by phone or before they
reach the scanning equipment if they need aid.
“We can make it very smooth for people,” said Jerry Henderson, who runs TSA
at Orlando International. “It can all be arranged.”
The key, Henderson said, is to get in touch with TSA as early as possible. He
recommended calling the agency at 855-787-2227 or approaching an officer at the
line to talk about concerns.
Last year at Orlando International, the agency handled 1,370 assistance
requests, said TSA spokeswoman Sari Koshetz.
Some typical queries, she said, are:
• Can I carry special foods onboard the plane? Yes, but they must be placed
in the bin and not left in the carry-on bags. No doctor’s note is required.
• Can I get help with my child with autism, who is easily upset by lines? TSA
can move the family to the front of the line.
• I have a medical condition that I do not want to publicly discuss and I
would prefer not to go through the advanced imaging monitor. They can put in a
written request to an officer by downloading a blue card from the TSA website.
• I wear a hearing aid. Do I have to take it off? No.
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