The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) said it will not enforce key provisions of a rule issued in December that requires new consumer protections for passengers with disabilities who use wheelchairs. The Department is writing a new rule and will not enforce the current rule’s requirements that airlines: Are liable for mishandled wheelchairs, Reimburse passengers … Continued
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc. for discriminating against passengers with disabilities, including those who use service animals and mobility devices such as stowable wheelchairs. The lawsuit seeks $125 million for individuals who have been discriminated against and submitted complaints to Uber or the Department. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. … Continued
The Rocky Mountain ADA Center has a new research report, “The ADA and Riding or Driving with Rideshare Companies like Uber and LYFT.” This report discusses what both riders and drivers of rideshare apps, like Uber and Lyft, need to know about rideshare companies and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For riders with disabilities, … Continued
The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has started an investigation into the bus companies FlixBus and Greyhound (operated by Flix North America Inc., FlixBus Inc., and Greyhound Lines Inc.) to determine whether they violate Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against passengers with disabilities and denying them reasonable … Continued
Some of the largest airlines in the US are looking to overturn a recent Department of Transportation (DOT) rule that requires higher standards for accommodating passengers with disabilities, especially wheelchair users. The rule’s requirements include: New training for airline employees who work with travelers with disabilities and Higher penalties for mishandled mobility devices, including wheelchairs. … Continued
The ride-sharing service, Uber, has a new feature to better accommodate passengers with disabilities. It now offers individuals traveling with service animals the option to self-identify in the app and automatically notify drivers at pickup. If a rider said they have a service animal and the driver cancels their trip at pickup, the driver will … Continued
On December 18, the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a final rule adopting the Access Board’s Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) as part of its Americans with Disability Act (ADA) standards for new construction and alterations of transit stops in the public right-of-way. The ADA says the Access Board provides technical guidelines for accessible design that form … Continued
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a $50 million penalty against American Airlines for serious violations of the laws protecting airline passengers with disabilities between 2019 and 2023. DOT’s investigation into American Airlines uncovered cases of: Unsafe physical assistance that at times led to injuries and undignified treatment of wheelchair users, Repeated failures to … Continued
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded $343 million in federal funding to help eight transit systems make their rail stations more accessible as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The upgrades will include installing elevators, making platforms for level boarding, improving signage, and improving visual and audio systems. … Continued
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would greatly increase the rights and protections of airline passengers who use wheelchairs. Every year, more than 10,000 wheelchairs and other mobility devices are broken or damaged during air travel. The DOT proposed rule would do things including: Require training … Continued
