ADA Toolkit

This section of the Toolkit focuses on requirements and good practices for engaging people with disabilities in the public participation activities of a rural transit agency. This section is organized into the following subsections:

• Ongoing Public Participation
• Hosting Accessible Meetings
• Section Sources
  

There are different ways a transit agency can fulfill the ongoing public participation requirement, including, but not limited to:

• Advisory committees or subcommittees
• Surveys via phone, mail, online, and/or in-person
• Focus groups
• Suggestion forms/boxes
• Complaint analysis - In addition to being a valuable source of feedback, transit agencies are required by 49 CFR Part 27 and Part 37 to have procedures to receive, resolve, keep records of, and report on complaints.

According to Appendix D, Section 37.137, U.S. DOT is most interested in the effectiveness of the public participation effort, and transit agencies are welcome to choose the specific structure used to ensure public participation that best meets this goal.

Establishing an ADA advisory committee or subcommittee is a common way to institutionalize participation and make it permanent. If a transit agency already has an advisory committee or consumer advisory committee, they may want to create a subcommittee to focus specifically on ADA issues.

ADA advisory committees should be comprised of persons with disabilities as well as other stakeholders and representatives in the community. Ideally, the members with disabilities should represent various types of disabilities (such as vision, hearing, mobility, etc.).


Committee members should include representatives from the following stakeholder groups, where appropriate:

• Transit system staff (including volunteers, if used)
• Contract providers (if used)
• Local and regional government officials
• Relevant social service agency staff
• Other agencies and/or organizations involved in transportation-related activities for individuals with disabilities and older adults

Committees should meet regularly and should consider the schedules and needs of the public when setting meeting times. Meetings should be open to the public and it is good practice to post meeting dates, agendas, and minutes online, in addition to distributing them to members. A good practice is to announce meetings far in advance (for example, at least 30 days in advance or longer if required by the transit agency’s local policy for announcing public meetings), potentially establishing a set meeting schedule throughout the year. This will give interested persons time to make plans to attend, and also time to request accessibility accommodations in advance. All meetings must be accessible to persons with disabilities – to be discussed further in the section below.

Here are few examples of ADA-related advisory committees:

PACE ADA Advisory Committee

Sacramento Regional Transit (RT) Mobility Advisory Council

Morris Area Paratransit System (MAPS) Citizen Advisory Committee

Sound Transit Citizens Accessibility Advisory Committee (CAAC)

Advisory committees and any other mechanisms for ongoing public participation should be tailored for each transit system and community. Whatever the method, effective public involvement should foster communication and collaboration over the long term to make sure the transit services continue to meet the community’s needs. 

For more information about advisory committees and public participation, see Easter Seals Project ACTION's Effective Transportation Advisory Committees guide on the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) web site and the Planning and Evaluation section of the Transit Manager's Toolkit. 

All public meetings (e.g., advisory committee meetings, public hearings, and board meetings) must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Meetings must comply with all applicable ADA accessibility requirements and should also be conducted in such a way that all participants can participate in an equal and meaningful way. The U.S. DOT’s Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making (2023) contains useful information meant to help U.S. DOT funding recipients comply with existing requirements. Appendix A of the guide contains a non-exhaustive overview of existing policies and processes where public involvement is a requirement, including resources for Tribal consultation (Executive Order 13175) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title II. A variety of techniques that can be used to promote meaningful involvement are illustrated in Appendix B and Appendix C provides information on using federal funds for meaningful public involvement activities.

According to Easter Seals Project ACTION’s ADA Essentials for Transit Board Members guide, minimum requirements identified by U.S. DOT include:

• The meeting location must be accessible by public transit, including paratransit.
• Primary entrances and doorways used for the meeting must be accessible, barrier-free, and usable by persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users.
• There should be circulation space for wheelchairs throughout and at the front of the meeting space.
• Microphones should be adjustable to wheelchair height.
• Path of travel signs for an accessible route to the meeting room should be posted.
• Meeting materials should be available in alternative formats prior to the meeting.
• Sign language interpreters should be available if requested.

The above list is based on a checklist in U.S. DOT’s Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decisionmaking guide under the Including People Who Are Traditionally Underserved on the Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decisionmaking web page.

The South West Transit Association (SWTA) has a helpful Accessible Meetings Guide, which is both comprehensive and concise. It covers all aspects of planning and hosting an accessible meeting or event, including: 

• Meeting room set-up
• PowerPoint and other visual presentations
• Incorporating videos, remote speakers, and flip charts/wall boards
• Print and electronic guidelines

Another helpful resource is the Easter Seals Project ACTION’s Including People with Disabilities: Communication & Meeting Etiquette Guide. This brochure provides general communication guidance as well as the following tips for planning accessible meetings:

• When planning events or meetings involving people with disabilities, inquire about their needs.
• The building, parking area, meeting space, restrooms, and water fountains should be accessible.
• If barriers exist, including entrance and doorway barriers, find a way to adapt the space or use another location.
• For meetings, consider whether the path of travel to and from the location, including connections to public transit, is suitable for pedestrians and accessible to pedestrians with disabilities.
• Allow circulation space for wheelchairs, make auditory accommodations and provide meeting materials in alternative formats prior to the meeting.
• Provide a certified sign language interpreter or captioner upon request.

Transit Planning 4 All, a coordinated transportation-planning project sponsored by the Administration for Community Living, developed a detailed Tip-Sheet on Planning Friendly Meetings and Going Beyond the ADA to Make a Meeting Place User-Friendly.



Information on communicating and providing materials in accessible formats is covered in the Rider Information section of this Toolkit.