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Department of Transportation

ADA Title II: Public Transportation

The transportation provisions of title II cover public transportation services, such as city buses and public rail transit (e.g. subways, commuter rails, Amtrak). Public transportation authorities may not discriminate against people with disabilities in the provision of their services. They must comply with requirements for accessibility in newly purchased vehicles, make good faith efforts to purchase or lease accessible used buses, remanufacture buses in an accessible manner, and, unless it would result in an undue burden, provide paratransit where they operate fixed-route bus or rail systems. Paratransit is a service where individuals who are unable to use the regular transit system independently (because of a physical or mental impairment) are picked up and dropped off at their destinations. Questions and complaints about public transportation should be directed to:

Office of Civil Rights
Federal Transit Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, Room E54-427
Room 9102
Washington, D.C. 20590

https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/civil-rights-ada/americans-disabilities-act

(888) 446-4511 (voice/relay)

US Department of Transportation and FMCSA
State’s Department of Transportation

Summary
Federal Level

https://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov/nccdb/home.aspx

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/about-us

The US Department of Transportation and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration oversee interstate transportation discrimination and other issues. They also provide a database, National Consumer Complaint Database, by which a person may file a complaint on-line regarding a variety issues.

The NCCDB complaint system is intended for investigation of a past event involving a violation of a law or regulation within the jurisdiction of the FMCSA. IMPORTANT: If you are on or near a bus operating with an urgent safety condition that would likely result in an accident or injury, call 911 or local authorities immediately.

1-888-DOT-SAFT (368-7238) from 8am‒8pm, Mon‒Fri ET or file a complaint below.

There are three types of complaints:

An ADA complaint is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act or its implementing regulations. Some examples of an ADA complaint include a bus with a broken wheel chair lift or a driver or employee not offering the required assistance to a passenger with a disability.

A safety complaint is related to the mechanical condition of the vehicle or the actions or physical condition of the driver during the trip, for example if the driver was driving while texting or falling asleep, or you observe bald tires or other obviously unsafe vehicle condition.

A service complaint includes discrimination, ticket issues, and possibly lost baggage. (Note, whether baggage was checked or unchecked is relevant to the carrier's responsibilities.) Service complaints do not pose any threat to safety. Before you file a service complaint, you may refer to Title 49 in the Code of Federal Regulations part 374 to ensure the circumstances are within FMCSA's regulatory authority.

The 60-day reporting requirement was established through the rulemaking process as a standard of reasonable timeliness that would enable effective and efficient investigation and prudent utilization of the Agency's enforcement resources [49 CFR 386.12]. The 60-day requirement only applies to safety complaints, not ADA or service complaints. The regulation can be found here:

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