What is ADA Paratransit?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into federal law in 1990. It 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 individuals whose disabilities prevent them from using lift-equipped public transit. This 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 as public transportation (defined by the ADA as a minimum of three-quarters of a mile on either side of existing public non-commute fixedroute transit). The ADA also requires transit operators to establish specific eligibility criteria for users of paratransit service and that there be no trip priorities given (e.g. medical versus recreation).