Hi to all. This one comes from my brother David. While this item covers all disabilities, there a couple of items specifically related to the visually impaired. I found most noteworthy the information about the new ticket machines. Ted Chittenden >From: "David" <[log in to unmask]> >To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;> >Subject: Fw: National Council on Disability Says Lack of Accessible >Transportation is Major Barrier for People with Disabilities >Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 15:41:01 -0700 > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "MOD" <[log in to unmask]> >To: <[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>; ><[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>; ><[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>; ><[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>; ><[log in to unmask]> >Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 12:03 PM >Subject: National Council on Disability Says Lack of Accessible >Transportation is Major Barrier for People with Disabilities > > > > > > > > ----- Forwarded by Ken Stein/ADMSVC/SFGOV on 07/31/2003 11:57 AM ----- > > > > "Mark Quigley" > > <[log in to unmask] To: ><[log in to unmask]> > > > cc: > > Sent by: Subject: National >Council >on Disability Says Lack of Accessible Transportation > > bulletin-owner@li is Major Barrier for >People with Disabilities > > st.ncd.gov > > > > > > 07/31/2003 04:10 > > AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > NEWS RELEASE NCD #03-425 > > July 30, 2003 > > Contact: Mark S. Quigley > > 202-272-2004 > > 202-272-2074 TTY > > > > National Council on Disability Says Lack of Accessible Transportation is > > Major Barrier for People with Disabilities > > > > WASHINGTON-The National Council on Disability (NCD) today released an > > excerpt from its annual report, National Disability Policy: A Progress > > Report >(http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/progressreport_final.html > > ), which highlights a number of issues related to transportation, >including > > barriers to accessible transportation and the status of statutory and > > regulatory provisions designed to advance access and equity in the >nation's > > transportation systems. > > > > According to NCD member Joel Kahn, "The lack of accessible >transportation > > is a major barrier to independence for people with disabilities. Many > > people with disabilities are desperately trying to improve the quality >of > > their lives, but are frustrated by a lack of services including >accessible > > transportation." > > > > Air Travel: The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) continues to provide >relief > > to travelers with disabilities thanks to the diligence of the Department >of > > Transportation (DOT) and, more recently, the Transportation Security > > Administration (TSA). Potential tensions for air travelers with > > disabilities from tight security since 9/11 have been avoided thanks to > > their leadership. NCD commends these agencies, most especially for >their > > outreach to the disability community, the development of a training > > curriculum for airport security screeners that includes disability >specific > > issues, support from the DOT Aviation Consumer Disability Hotline, and >the > > formation the DOT Disability Coalition. > > > > In August 2002, DOT and NCD entered into a memorandum of understanding >that > > provides for collaboration between NCD, the airline industry, and the > > disability community for the development of guidance on serving >customers > > who use service animals, who use oxygen, and or who are deaf and hard of > > hearing, and to help DOT with its ACAA forums. NCD lists other issues >that > > are yet to be accomplished, including completion of training materials >and > > operational guidelines (under development) in a number of key > > disability-related areas, including access for non-ticketed people to >gate > > areas, and the location and retrieval of screened bags by passengers >with > > visual impairments. > > NCD raises several concerns about the future effectiveness of the ACAA >and > > includes the following recommendations: > > * The transfer of TSA into the new Department of Homeland > > Security (DHS) will result in expertise likely being divided between the > > DHS, TSA, and DOT's Aviation Consumer Protection Division. Sustained and > > focused effort and effective coordination in ACAA administration, > > enforcement, and monitoring will be required if the ACAA is not to be > > relegated to confusion and insignificance. > > * The Office of Management and Budget decision to cease the >air > > traveler satisfaction survey process is cause for concern. > > * Services and accommodations for passengers with >disabilities > > could be jeopardized by airline personnel cutbacks. To avoid longer >waits > > for assistance, unavailability of escort personnel, and other >difficulties, > > NCD recommends that DOT clarify the responsibilities of air carriers and > > airport personnel for providing access to passengers with disabilities. > > * The new ticket machines at check-in counters are >inaccessible > > to many passengers with disabilities, including people who are blind or > > people who have motor or cognitive disabilities, resulting in delays in > > lines of people waiting to be served by a dwindling number of counter > > agents. NCD recommends that DOT and the Department of Justice address >the > > accessibility issues posed by these machines and by other new > > customer-service technology, moving expeditiously to require that they > > incorporate already widespread accessibility features now common in the >ATM > > and point-of-sale machine sectors. > > * NCD also renews its recommendation from the last annual >report > > that DOT must continue negotiations with foreign carriers to ensure >their > > compliance with the Air Carrier Access Act. > > > > TEA 21 Reauthorization: The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st >Century > > (TEA-21) is scheduled for reauthorization in 2003. A number of issues in > > TEA-21 are significant to people with disabilities in the United States, >a > > large portion of whom are dependent on public transportation for >mobility. > > The Olmstead decision and the New Freedom Initiative (NFI) commitment >to > > community integration for people with disabilities raise a number of > > significant issues for this reauthorization of TEA-21. To ensure >community > > transportation resources are sufficient and flexible enough to meet the > > needs for participation by many people with disabilities and older >people, > > NCD makes the following recommendations: > > * State and local transportation agencies should be involved >in > > state Olmstead planning processes. > > * NFI pilot demonstration transportation projects and >matching > > grants to nontraditional providers or planners should be included in the > > new law. > > * Transportation practices should be sufficiently flexible to > > allow for use of accessible vehicles and, where appropriate, for other > > technology or necessary support services. > > * The practices and priorities of paratransit systems must be > > re-evaluated in light of contemporary needs, ensuring that they maximize > > the goals of community life and employment for Americans of all ages >with > > disabilities. > > * The design of major transportation research projects and > > experiments must include input from people with disabilities. > > * The law should include a provision conditioning the use of > > federal funds on compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act >(ADA) > > and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act in all transportation plans >and > > projects systems. > > * The new law should include requirements and funding > > authorization for continued research in all the subjects noted in this > > section-for pilot and demonstration projects in various environments >around > > the country, and for evaluating and disseminating results-and provisions > > for incorporating the most successful technologies and strategies into >our > > overall transportation infrastructure. > > > > NCD also points out additional emerging issues, including (1) pedestrian > > safety-placing a light rail stop near an industrial park does little >good > > if a six-lane highway must be crossed without benefit of an accessible > > pedestrian crossing; (2) implementation of ADA requirements for >detectable > > warning edges on mass transit platforms and in hazardous pedestrian >areas; > > and (3) systematic implementation of technological advances in >accessible > > pedestrian signals. > > > > Finally, NCD includes a cautionary note about additional challenges to >the > > paratransit systems. With local and state budgetary problems leading to > > potential cutbacks in fixed-route mass transit service, NCD points to >the > > likelihood of increased reliance on paratransit services by people with > > disabilities who wish to avoid personal health or safety challenges on > > fixed-route systems such as longer waits in extreme temperatures or >safety > > challenges at isolated stops. NCD states that DOT must be vigilant in > > maintaining fairness and effectiveness as transit agencies consider > > offsetting the growth in paratransit demand with trip-eligibility >criteria. > > > > > > For more information, contact Mark Quigley or Martin Gould at >202-272-2004. > > > > > > # # # > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. 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