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U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Issues Updated "Fly Rights" Consumer Guide
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released an updated version of Fly Rights: A Consumer Guide to Air Travel, its popular guide to air travelers’ rights. Fly Rights provides air travelers with helpful advice on how to get the best airfare, what to expect when a flight is delayed or canceled and how to avoid travel scams. The guide provides easy-to-read information on federal airline regulations in a number of areas, including accommodating air travelers with disabilities and rules for bumping and baggage compensation. For more information read New Horizons - Information for the Air Traveler with a Disability. New Horizons can also be downloaded in Word format.
AirTran Fined for Violating Rules Protecting Air Travelers with Disabilities
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has assessed a civil penalty of $500,000 against AirTran Airways for violating rules protecting air travelers with disabilities. The Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 requires airlines to provide assistance to passengers with disabilities in boarding and deplaning aircraft, including the use of wheelchairs, ramps, mechanical lifts or service personnel where needed. DOT found several violations of the requirement for boarding assistance. In addition, the carrier’s complaint files showed that it frequently did not provide an adequate written response to complaints from passengers.
New Rule Extends Disability Protections to Passenger Ships & Boats
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced the first federal rule to specifically provide Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protections to people with disabilities who travel on boats and ships. The rule applies to two categories of vessels - vessels operated by public entities, such as public ferry systems, and vessels operated by private entities that are mainly in the business of transporting people, such as cruise ships. Under the rule vessel operators cannot charge extra for accessibility-related services to passengers, cannot require passengers to furnish their own attendants, and cannot deny access to passengers based on disability. The new rule will become effective 120 days after it is published.
Transportation to Work - A Toolkit for the Business Community
This toolkit is a collection of on-line resources that guide company executives and human resources professionals in providing job-related transportation benefits to their employees while improving their companies' bottom line. The toolkit has a menu of options from which you can select what will work well for your business, such as giving employees the opportunity to sign up for pre-tax commuter benefit deductions or assisting employees with disabilities with transportation to work. For more information read the fact sheet Transportation for Workers with Disabilities: Widening Your Pool of Potential Talent.
Travel Training for Student Success: The Route to Achieving Post-Secondary Student Outcomes
A resource for secondary school educators from Easter Seals Project ACTION includes a booklet, slide shows, questionnaire and links to additional information to support young adults' needs for public transportation through travel training.