What Is ADA Paratransit Service?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into federal law in 1990. The ADA prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in the areas of employment, public services such as transit, public accommodations, private services, and telecommunications. The ADA requires all public transit operators to provide a special service to eligible disabled and elderly individuals whose disabilities prevent them from using lift-equipped public transit. The special service, called “paratransit service,” is required by the ADA to complement fixed route public transit service. For this reason, it operates at similar times and in similar areas (defined by the ADA as a minimum of 3/4-mile on either side) of existing public fixed route transit, non-commute bus and van routes. The ADA also requires transit operators to establish specific eligibility criteria for users of paratransit service and requires there be no trip priorities (e.g. medical versus recreation) on ADA paratransit se
