Transit agencies are required to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act. The resources in this topic guide provide information to ensure compliance with the law.

Please note: National RTAP's ADA Toolkit is a much-expanded version of this topic guide.

FTA Circulars and Guidance

49 CFR Part 37 - Transportation Services for Individuals with Disabilities (ADA)

49 CFR Part 38 - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Specifications for Transportation Vehicles 

49 CFR Part 27 - Transportation for Individuals with Disabilities; Reasonable Modification of Policies and Practices 

ADA and the FTA: Improving Transit Access for People with Disabilities - video

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) - Americans with Disabilities Act webpage

FTA - Questions and Answers Concerning Wheelchairs and Bus and Rail Service (includes answers defining a wheelchair)

FTA - ADA Training page

U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) - website on Section 508 compliance for federal agencies for accessible websites for people with disabilities

National RTAP Resources

2 The Point - ADA and Sensitivity and 2 The Point - Transporting Non-Ambulatory Passengers

Technical Assistance and Best Practices

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) - Topic Guides on ADA Transportation

Easter Seals Project ACTION (ESPA) - A.C.C.E.S.S. Matters, Determining Paratransit Eligibility: An Approach, Guidance, and Training Materials and Service Animal Guide

MassMobility's Community Transportation for Transition-Aged Youth with Disabilities

METRO - Designing and Building Accesible Bus Stops and Transit Increases On-Demand Options for Wheelchair Users

NADTC - Checklist for Assessing the Accessibility of Transportation and Mobility

National RTAP - eLearning Videos on Wheelchair Securement, Oversized Wheeled Mobility Devices Technical Brief and Website Accessibility Support

RHIhub - Access to Care for Rural People with Disabilities Toolkit

TCRP -  ADA Paratransit Service Models and Implementing the U.S. DOT Reasonable Modification Rule

United States Access Board - ADA Standards for Transportation Facilities

DISCLAIMER: The resources provided in each topic guide are not an exhaustive survey of every available resource on each topic. If you would like to add a resource to a Topic Guide, please email info@nationalrtap.org.

Updated January 15, 2020