CR (202) 353-8584WWW.USDOJ.GOV
TDD (202) 514-1888
GREYHOUND TO IMPROVE BUS SERVICE TO PASSENGERS WITH
DISABILITIES, UNDER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AGREEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Greyhound Lines Inc., will improve the availability and quality of accessible bus service for persons with disabilities, under an agreement reached today with the Justice Department.
The out-of-court agreement resolves a number of complaints filed with the Justice Department alleging that Greyhound drivers and employees violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against passengers with disabilities. Although the complaints alleged a range of problems, most involved the denial of boarding assistance, injuries sustained while passengers were physically carried on and off buses, or other mistreatment. While current Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations permit carrying, 1998 regulations require Greyhound and other intercity bus companies to provide lift-equipped bus service in the future. These rules do not apply to Greyhound until October 2001.
Under today's agreement, Greyhound will minimize the need for carrying passengers with disabilities by phasing in accessible bus service in three stages, beginning two years before lift-equipped service is required by DOT rules.
"Intercity bus service is often the only affordable form of transportation for many people with disabilities," said Bill Lann Lee, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "Today's agreement opens new roads for accessible travel which, historically, have not been available."
Under the agreement, Greyhound will phase in accessible bus service in three ways, including:
- providing a lift-equipped bus or assistive device on scheduled departures to and from locations where these buses are operated (generally along major routes serving a large proportion of Greyhound passengers) or where such devices can be made available to passengers who request such accommodations with 48 hours' notice through its ADA Hotline (through March 31, 2000 only);
- making reasonable efforts to provide an accessible bus between any of the approximately 2,600 points served by Greyhound, on 48 hours' notice; and,
- beginning no later than April 1, 2000, guaranteeing accessible buses between any points served by Greyhound, on 48 hours notice, except in a limited set of "excusable circumstances" defined in the agreement.
The agreement also requires Greyhound to:
- provide training to all employees assisting any person with a disability;
- establish an internal dispute resolution procedure for addressing complaints by persons with disabilities within 90 days;
- inform individuals with disabilities of their rights under the ADA and today's agreement;
- convene a meeting of a specially created Advisory Committee of representatives from organizations advocating the rights of persons with disabilities, to advise Greyhound on its training programs and policies by September 30, 1999; and,
- continue systematically removing barriers to access in Greyhound facilities.
"Carrying people with disabilities onto buses is often dangerous and humiliating," added Mr. Lee. "This agreement is an important step towards eliminating carrying in intercity transportation."
Greyhound also will pay more than $17,500 in damages, which includes individual payments to 14 complainants ranging from $500 to $4000. The complaints included allegations by persons with mobility or vision impairments who were refused passage or boarding assistance, inappropriately carried during manual boarding or deboarding, or verbally harassed.
Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination in public accommodations, including discrimination by entities providing transportation by bus or rail on a continuing basis. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued rules concerning bus service and accessible design requirements for new buses, which the Justice Department enforces.
However, the 1998 regulations issued by DOT require companies like Greyhound to ensure that newly purchased or leased buses are lift-equipped only after October 2000. The new regulations allow Greyhound until October 2001 before it must provide lift-equipped bus service on 48 hour notice. The agreement reached today does not relieve Greyhound of these obligations, but does provide meaningful access to passengers with disabilities in the interim.
People interested in finding out more about the ADA or today's agreement can call the toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD) or access the ADA home page at: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm
Passengers wishing to get information about services available on particular Greyhound routes can call Greyhound's ADA hotline number at (800) 752-4841.
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