My ADA Story: Getting Around with ADA Paratransit

By Ronnie Marshall

Ronnie using a lift platform to enter an GoRaleigh Access paratransit van

My Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) story revolves around paratransportation. Without paratransit I wouldn’t be able to go out with my wife, who also uses ADA transportation. I’m able to go door-to-door to doctor appointments, pharmacies, malls, etc. It gives me the ability to be independent.

I am an individual with cerebral palsy and have limited use of the right side of my body, making me unable to drive. I started using ADA paratransit as a teenager. Prior to becoming eligible to use this service, friends or family would drive me wherever I needed to go. My favorite places to go are the mall and the movies. You may see me sometimes hanging out in the food court at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh. I just like to be social.

Background:

According to the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center, the ADA requires public transit agencies that provide fixed-route service to provide “complementary paratransit” service to people with disabilities who cannot use the fixed-route bus or rail service because of their disability. Examples include people who do not live near a bus stop or along a route, such as an accessible sidewalk, that can access a bus stop. It also includes people with cognitive disabilities who might not understand how to independently navigate and get to their destination using the bus.

The regulations also define minimum service characteristics for this service to be considered equal to the fixed-route service. In general, ADA complementary paratransit service must be provided within 3/4 of a mile of a bus route or rail station at the same hours and days that the fixed-route service operates. People who qualify for this service can be charged no more than twice the regular fixed-route price. These people can request a trip anytime the day before they need a ride, and some providers will allow them to request a trip the day of the ride. See more at: https://www.nadtc.org/about/transportation-aging-disability/ada-and-paratransit/

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