Disability Access to Transportation Act

This bill aims to make getting around easier for people with disabilities. It responds to ongoing gaps in access and service, noting that 1 in 4 U.S. adults has a disability and many still face outdated systems and long waits.

It creates a “one-stop paratransit” pilot so riders can make at least one 15-minute stop during a trip to handle errands and avoid long waits. The program must start within 6 months, with preference for agencies using tools like real-time tracking and same-day rides. The federal share can cover up to 80% of costs, with $75 million a year authorized from 2025 through 2029. It also requires the Justice Department to set enforceable standards for new or rebuilt pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way within 180 days. The bill makes it easier to file disability-related transit complaints by phone, mail, or online within 1 year, and requires transit providers to post a hotline and complaint link within 18 months; DOT must publish yearly results. Finally, it launches an accessibility data pilot so states and regional planners can measure how well people—by income, age, and type of disability—can reach key places by different travel modes, using open-source methods; data will be shared with local governments and researchers, and the pilot ends 8 years after it starts.

Key points

• Who is affected: People with disabilities who use transit and paratransit; public transit providers and their contractors; states, metropolitan and rural planning groups; local governments and researchers.
• What changes: Paratransit riders can make a mid-trip stop; clearer standards for pedestrian facilities; easier complaint filing and public reporting; better data to plan accessible travel.
• When: Paratransit pilot starts within 6 months; pedestrian standards due in 180 days; complaint system within 1 year and notices within 18 months; data pilot lasts up to 8 years.