New report shows a continued lack of accessible transportation leaves millions of Americans behind

The National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency, recently issued a comprehensive report on the current state of ground transportation for people with disabilities, examining the challenges individuals continue to face even 35 years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. As someone with a vision disability, I’ve used many of the transportation options discussed in this report, from public transportation to taxis to microtransit. Each day can bring new challenges and heartache with getting from point A to B. 

The report finds that despite significant advances in technology and new forms of transportation like rideshare, millions of people with mobility disabilities remain significantly transportation disadvantaged and are unable to leave their homes due to insufficient and inaccessible transportation options, particularly for those needing wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs). Disabled and older Americans regularly have trouble getting to the grocery store, doctors appointments, work and school; and face higher rates of poverty. This challenge is only growing: recent data shows that over 1 in 4 adults in the United States have some type of disability and 1 in 5 U.S. residents will be age 65 or older by 2030 and that number is expected to continue to rise. 

We wanted to share a few interesting findings from this report:

1. Technology-enabled on-demand microtransit is identified as a bright spot for people with disabilities.

There is a lack of wheelchair accessible transportation in the U.S., and the rise of TNCs has furthered this challenge because many wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) taxi drivers have stopped operating and there are no requirements for TNCs to provide WAV service. However, microtransit is transformative for people with disabilities because it includes WAVs and offers flexible on-demand booking, which can help someone get to a last-minute doctor's appointment or pick up their child. Microtransit is also more easily accessible to the rider because it’s public transit which makes it affordable and anyone is welcome to ride, unlike paratransit services which have strict eligibility requirements. The NCD recommends that the FTA continue to fund innovative transit models like microtransit and facilitate public-private partnerships to improve mobility for wheelchair users by expanding accessible on-demand public transit.

2. Paratransit services still fall short, but technology can help.

The report also highlights that while ADA paratransit is a lifeline to many, riders continue to face challenges, including unreliable service, rigid pre-booking requirements which leave riders unable to book same-day trips, unpredictable pick up and drop off windows, inefficient routing — and generally notes that paratransit is still not equivalent to fixed route service, as required by the ADA. On-demand pilot programs are beginning to make a positive impact, as is the use of innovative routing technology that can help improve pick up wait times and shorten trip lengths. One important recommendation the report makes to policymakers is that the federal government should incentivize transit agencies to improve paratransit by using technology for routing to improve rider experience and reduce costs for public agencies.

3. Autonomous vehicles possess tremendous potential to improve transportation for people with disabilities, but there’s a major gap in the development of wheelchair-accessible AVs.

While there is a lot of excitement about AVs for their potential to improve safety and increase mobility, the report highlights the need for AV companies to purposefully design both the vehicles and services for people with disabilities. Current AV developers are not actively working to deploy a wheelchair accessible autonomous vehicle and some are looking at providing third party options which could cause the same issues seen with TNC rides. The report encourages federal and state legislators to ensure that the patchwork of AV laws across the country include requirements for companies to provide autonomous WAVs and any additional accessible service requirements. The report raises the concern that AVs could be another form of transportation where disabled riders are left behind. 

While much work needs to be done to help our growing elderly and disabled population access transportation solutions that connect them to jobs, healthcare, grocery stores and educational opportunities, I am heartened to see that technology, whether it’s microtransit or software for paratransit, is already improving accessible transportation in many communities. As the use of technology continues to grow, AVs also hold tremendous potential to open up transportation options for people with disabilities if deployed in an accessible way. Policymakers and transportation companies hold the keys to ensuring this progress occurs and the growing population of disabled and elderly riders are not left behind.