Questions and Answers: Transportation Services for Individuals with Disabilities

May a transit operator require that wheelchairs be secured in buses and vans?

Yes, if the transit operator has established such a policy, and the vehicle is required to be equipped with a securement system by 49 CFR Part 38. Section 37.165(c)(3) of the DOT ADA regulations allows a transit operator to establish a policy that requires all riders to have their wheelchairs secured while aboard a transit bus or van. Therefore, the operator may decline to provide service to a rider who refuses to allow his or her wheelchair to be secured.

Alternatively, transit operators may adopt a policy that allows wheelchairs to ride unsecured. If the rider wishes his or her wheelchair to be secured, however, the operator’s personnel must provide the requested assistance.

The regulations do not require that rail vehicles be equipped with securement devices; if securement devices are nonetheless provided, their use is optional and at the rider’s discretion.