New Rule Strengthens Protections for Americans with Disabilities at Rail Stations_September 2011

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced  that individuals with disabilities will have greater access to intercity,  commuter and high-speed train travel as a result of a new rule requiring new  station platform construction or significant renovation to enable those with  disabilities to get on and off any car on a train.

“This will help give passengers with disabilities better  access to rail travel across the country,” said Transportation Secretary Ray  LaHood. “By putting this protection in place, passengers with disabilities will  be able to get on and off any accessible car that is available to passengers at  a new or altered station platform.”

The U.S. Department of  Transportation (DOT) is amending its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)  regulations to require intercity, commuter and high-speed passenger railroads  to ensure, at new and significantly renovated station platforms, that  passengers with disabilities can get on and off any accessible car of the  train.  Passenger railroads must provide level-entry boarding at new or  altered stations in which no track passing through the station and adjacent to  platforms is shared with existing freight rail operations. 

For new or altered stations in  which track shared with existing freight rail operations precludes compliance, passenger  railroads will be able to choose among a variety of means to meet a performance  standard to ensure that passengers with disabilities can access each accessible  train car that other passengers can board at the station. These options include  providing car-borne lifts, station-based lifts, or mini-high platforms. 

The Department will review a  railroad’s proposed method to ensure that it provides reliable and safe  services to individuals with disabilities in an integrated manner. 

The rule also requires that transit  providers carry a wheelchair and occupant if the lift and vehicle can  physically accommodate them, unless doing so is inconsistent with legitimate  safety requirements.  In addition, it codifies the existing DOT mechanism  for issuing ADA guidance and makes minor technical changes to the Department’s  ADA rules.

Source: www.dot.gov