New Act Mandates Accessible Sidewalk Standards and Funds $75M Pilot for Same-Day Paratransit Rides

The newly proposed Disability Access to Transportation Act is a major effort to modernize how public transit serves people with disabilities. The bill acknowledges what anyone who relies on paratransit already knows: the system is often outdated, plagued by long waits, and makes handling unexpected events nearly impossible. This legislation aims to tackle those issues head-on by setting new standards for sidewalks and funding innovative service pilots.

The End of the Endless Wait: The 'One-Stop' Pilot

One of the most practical changes comes in Section 3, which establishes a five-year pilot program for “one-stop” paratransit services. Right now, if you need to run two quick errands, you often have to book two separate rides, leading to frustrating delays and wasted time. This pilot program allows the paratransit vehicle to make at least one essential stop during a ride, lasting a minimum of 15 minutes. Think of it as allowing a quick, vital detour without needing to book a whole new trip.

The goal is to boost independence. For example, a person with a disability could get picked up, stop for 15 minutes to drop off a prescription or grab a critical document, and then be taken directly to their main destination, like work or a doctor’s appointment. The federal government is putting serious money behind this, authorizing $75 million annually from 2025 through 2029. However, there’s a catch for local agencies: the feds will only cover up to 80% of the cost, meaning local transit providers must foot at least 20% of the bill. Agencies that can use technology for dynamic routing and, crucially, offer same-day ride scheduling will get preference for the pilot, which could finally bring paratransit services into the 21st century.

Sidewalks That Actually Work

If you’ve ever tried to navigate a stroller, a wheelchair, or even just a heavy suitcase down a sidewalk that abruptly ends or is blocked by a poorly placed pole, you know accessibility isn't just about ramps. Section 4 mandates that the Attorney General publish new, enforceable standards for all new construction or alteration of pedestrian walkways in public areas within 180 days. These rules must align with existing federal guidelines for barrier-free access. This isn’t just a suggestion; it makes sure that when cities build new sidewalks, crosswalks, or curb cuts, they are legally required to meet established accessibility standards, which should reduce the number of frustrating or dangerous access gaps we see today.

Making Complaints Count

Section 5 tackles transparency and accountability. Currently, figuring out how to report disability discrimination by a public transit provider can feel like navigating a bureaucratic maze. This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to set up a streamlined system—accessible by phone, mail, and online—for filing complaints within one year. Even better, every public transit provider and their paratransit contractors must clearly post the DOT's disability hotline and a direct link to the online filing website on their apps and websites. This puts the power back in the hands of the rider. Furthermore, the DOT must publish an annual report detailing how many complaints they received, how many they investigated, and what the outcome was (e.g., informal resolution or a formal finding of noncompliance). This reporting requirement forces the system to be transparent about where the problems are and how they are being fixed.

Data That Drives Better Planning

Finally, Section 6 sets up an accessibility data pilot program designed to give local planning organizations the tools they need to make smarter transportation investments. The Secretary of Transportation will create a special dataset that measures how easily people can get to key destinations—like jobs, grocery stores, or medical clinics—using different modes of transport. This data will be broken down by demographics, including low-income status, age, and specific types of disabilities (like wheelchair users or those with sensory needs). This moves planning beyond simple traffic counts and forces local and state planning organizations to focus on equity and access. This pilot is temporary, set to end after eight years, but the goal is to see if this kind of detailed, equity-focused data is feasible to produce nationwide, fundamentally changing how we measure successful transportation networks.