The bill would create a pilot program to let paratransit riders make a stop of at least 15 minutes during a trip. It would also require enforceable accessibility standards for new or changed pedestrian facilities in public rights-of-way. The Department of Transportation would set up ways to file disability access complaints by phone, mail, and online, and publish yearly information about those complaints. A second pilot program would provide transportation access data to selected state and regional planning agencies. The data would measure access to destinations by different travel modes and across population groups.
If enacted, the bill could give paratransit riders in selected areas the option to make a stop during a trip. It would make it easier to submit disability-related complaints about public transportation and require transit providers to share complaint information. Selected transportation planners would receive data to help assess access to destinations. The bill does not guarantee that every community would take part in the pilot programs.
The bill would authorize $75 million per year for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 for the one-stop paratransit pilot program. The federal share of a project could not exceed 80 percent of its total cost. The accessibility data pilot would use funds already available for the Department of Transportation’s administrative expenses; the bill does not state a specific amount for it.
The bill’s stated purpose is to improve transportation access for people with disabilities. Its findings say that accessible transportation supports independent living and that current paratransit services can have long pickup windows and limited same-day booking. No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.