The recently adopted Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) identifies eligibility and certification as critical determinants in paratransit services. The ADA has also set guidelines for paratransit operators to develop functionally based certification methods predicated on the applicant's ability to use mainline services rather than on their medical condition. The Regional Transportation Authority paratransit services have gradually developed the components to enable functional certification of severely disabled riders. These components include the development of standardized paratransit eligibility in a region with multiple paratransit operations, a functional certification method for the blind, and conditional and functional certification methods for the developmentally disabled. It is expected thatcertification methods developed through coordination with regional transit operators and state agencies have well positioned paratransit operations in northeastern Illinois to serve riders as envisioned under the ADA. (A)
Samenvatting