News

American Airlines to pay record $50 million fine over its treatment of passengers with disabilities

Posted on October 24, 2024

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a $50 million penalty against American Airlines for serious violations of the laws protecting airline passengers with disabilities between 2019 and 2023. DOT’s investigation into American Airlines uncovered cases of: Unsafe physical assistance that at times led to injuries and undignified treatment of wheelchair users, Repeated failures to...

$343 million awarded to improve transit stations accessibility

Posted on May 28, 2024

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded $343 million in federal funding to help eight transit systems make their rail stations more accessible as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The upgrades will include installing elevators, making platforms for level boarding, improving signage, and improving visual and audio systems....

Proposed rule to increase protections for airline passengers who use wheelchairs

Posted on March 1, 2024

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would greatly increase the rights and protections of airline passengers who use wheelchairs. Every year, more than 10,000 wheelchairs and other mobility devices are broken or damaged during air travel. The DOT proposed rule would do things including: Require training...

A plane flies away from an air traffic control tower

Senators call for digital update to Department of Transportation’s service animal flight form

Posted on January 23, 2024

Senators Wyden and Duckworth think the Department of Transportation (DOT) is making it harder for people with service animals to travel. They want the DOT to use an easier, accessible online service animal travel form instead of the current difficult paperwork. The required form is currently only offered in a PDF format and is hard...

American Cruise Lines to improve fleet accessibility in ADA settlement

Posted on January 19, 2024

The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Connecticut reached a settlement agreement with American Cruise Lines. The cruise line was not following the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Some people complained that the cruise ships weren't easy for wheelchair users to get around or access. The settlement will lead to improvements. The deal covers...

Two women in a Metro station smile while holding an award between them.

L.A. Metro gets praised for a program that helps seniors with transportation

Posted on November 22, 2023

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has a program called the "On the Move Riders Program." It received the Spirit of Accessibility Award for helping seniors with transportation. The program teaches L.A. older adults about using public transportation through workshops, events, and tours. Seniors aged 62+ who sign up get discounted fares on Metro...

Share your ideas: U.S. Transportation Department wants input on making transit facilities more accessible

Posted on November 14, 2023

The U.S. Department of Transportation wants public transportation buildings and facilities to be usable by everyone. Their goal is to make sure everyone, with or without a disability, can use public transportation easily and independently. They're looking for ideas from people on how to make these facilities easier for those with disabilities to use. They're...

Public Awareness Campaign to Ensure Air Travelers with Disabilities Know Their Rights

Posted on October 24, 2023

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has a new campaign called #AccessibleAirTravel to celebrate the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) and let travelers with disabilities know about their rights. The ACAA, created in 1986, makes it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities in air travel. DOT has created the Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill...

Final rule on accessible airline lavatories

Posted on August 1, 2023

On the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a new rule which requires airline lavatories to be more accessible. This rulemaking, allowed under the Air Carrier Access Act, would require airlines to make lavatories on new single-aisle aircraft large enough to permit a passenger with a disability...

Recent news