Transportation for People with Disabilities
This section provides information and links to resources about transportation and the rights of people with disabilities.
This article contains links to other resources and organizations that may be of assistance to people with disabilities. The Ohio Legal Rights Service (OLRS) attempts to verify that the links referenced are helpful for people with disabilities and their families. However, OLRS does not guarantee that the information provided within the destination link is accurate or right for the particular needs of the person. Once you follow a link away from the OLRS Web site, refer to that site's privacy policy and disclaimer statements.
Some links in this section are to documents created in Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF). To view and print PDF documents, you need to have Adobe® Reader®, a free software program, installed on your computer. Download Adobe® Reader®.
Purchasing and modifying a car or van is an involved process. Since vehicle modifications can be expensive, it is well worth your time to be prepared and to research all options. The following are some suggestions.
- Evaluate your needs: Have your needs evaluated by a professional, such as your doctor, physical therapist, or occupational therapist. They can recommend types of adaptations would best suit your needs.
- Conduct research: Conduct research on the general safety and recommendations of accessible vehicles. A good place to start is at the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration's Web site in their Automotive Safety Issues for Persons with Disabilities section, which provides information about current regulations and standards, as well as access to reports and other consumer information.
- Find funding resources: There are various funding resources that you can check into, such as grants from non-profit organizations, car manufacturer rebate programs, private insurance or Medicaid (for adaptive equipment), and Family Support Services funding through your county board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD). Also check with your bank or credit union to see what special loan options are available. Another option is the Access for Individuals program which is a partnership between the State Treasurer's Office and Fifth Third Bank to provide low interest loans to purchase assistive equipment or to do home or vehicle modifications.
- Choose a vehicle: One of the best resources is other families. Ask them about their experiences. They will be able to provide you with valuable tips and ideas. Check with companies that do vehicle accommodations to see what they recommend.
- Choose a dealer to modify the vehicle: Once you have chosen the type of vehicle that you would like to purchase, find a dealer that has experience in adapting vehicles or that has a relationship with companies that do modifications.
The following list provides links to other Web sites that offer information about accessible vehicles.
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Airline Travel
The following are examples of the types of accommodations and services that must be provided to passengers with disabilities while still ensuring the safety and security of all air travelers. The examples are not all-inclusive. Please refer to the fact sheet called Steps Taken to Ensure New Security Requirements: Preserve and Respect the Civil Rights of People with Disabilities Fact Sheet from the U.S. Department of Transportation for more information.
- Air carriers must provide enplaning and deplaning assistance, including assistance beyond the screener checkpoints, but have discretion in how this is provided.
- Ticketed passengers with their own oxygen for use on the ground are allowed beyond the screener checkpoints with their oxygen canisters once the canisters have been thoroughly inspected.
- The limit of one carry-on bag and one personal bag (ex. purse or briefcase) for each traveler does not apply to medical supplies and/or assistive devices.
- All persons allowed beyond the screener checkpoints may be searched. Private screenings remain an option for persons in wheelchairs.
- Passengers should be able to maintain visual contact with their property while they are being screened.
- Service animals, once inspected to ensure prohibited items are not concealed, are permitted on board an aircraft.
- Assistive devices such as walking canes, once inspected to ensure prohibited items are not concealed, are permitted on board an aircraft. Equipment that cannot be x-rayed will be inspected physically or visually, although the consumer must make the request.
- Assistive devices, such as augmentative communication devices, will go through the same sort of security screening process
as used for personal computers.
- Syringes are permitted on board an aircraft once it is determined that the person has a documented medical need for the syringe.
- Personal wheelchairs and battery-powered scooters may still be used to reach departure gates after they are inspected to ensure that they do not present a security risk.
- Any backpack or sidepack that is carried on the wheelchair will be manually inspected or put through the x-ray machines.
- Personal wheelchairs will still be allowed to be stowed on board an aircraft.
- Wheelchairs and assistive devices must be returned to passengers as close as possible to the door of the aircraft.
- Air carriers must ensure that qualified individuals with a disability, including those with vision or hearing impairments, have timely access to information, such as new security measures, the carriers provide to other passengers.
A toll free hotline for air travelers with disabilities is also available through the U.S. Department of Transportation to answer questions. The hotline phone numbers are 1-800-778-4838 (voice) and 1-800-455-9880 (TTY).
People who feel they have been discriminated against by air carriers should first request to speak with the Complaints
Resolution Official (CRO) for the airline. If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved, a complaint can be filed with the
Aviation Consumer Protection Division.
A toll free hotline of the U.S. Department of Transportation to assist travelers with disabilities can also be contacted at 1-800-778-4838 (voice) or 1-800-455-9880 (TTY).
The following list provides links to other Web sites that offer information about airline travel for people with disabilities.
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There are two types of disability parking permits available: placards and license plates. Both permit the vehicle to park in parking spaces marked with the international symbol of access for people with disabilities.
- Disability parking placards: Placards are plastic cards that hang from the car mirror. Applications for placards can be found on the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) Web site (see Application for Disability Parking Placards - PDF file). The application must be completed by the person with the disability (or their guardian) and the person's physician. The application must be accompanied with a prescription from the physician.
- Disability parking license plates: Permanent license plates are often requested when a vehicle has been altered for a person with a disability. The fee for the disabled parking license plates is the same as for other types of license plates. To find out more about how to obtain disability parking license plates, contact your local BMV office (see Ohio Deputy Registrar License Agency Locations).
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The following are links to organizations that provide information about different types of public transportation for people with disabilities.
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As with any other school-age child, a child with a disability is entitled to regular transportation if the child meets the state criteria for transportation. Generally, for children in grades kindergarten to eight, whether they attend public or private school, the school district is required to provide transportation if the child lives more than two miles from the school. For this age group, the only exception to this rule is if the state board of education agrees with the local school board that the transportation is unnecessary or unreasonable. Regular transportation for students in grades nine to twelve may be provided but is not required.
Even if your child does not qualify for regular transportation, he or she may be eligible for "special transportation" as a "related service." "Special transportation" means vehicle transportation service directly related to the child's disability and required by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) or any applicable state or federal law. If you believe your child needs special transportation, you should discuss this concern at an IEP meeting and have it written on the IEP.
Under Ohio law, there are no specific time limits for how long a child's ride to school can take. Instead, each school district must set its own reasonable travel time. Travel time is defined as beginning at the initial pickup of the child and ending with the final arrival at the school destination. The school district must develop its travel time standard, approved by the individual board of education, and must consider the following factors:
- age of child,
- condition of disability,
- geographic size of school district,
- location of special education class,
- traffic patterns, and
- roadway conditions.
Travel time for children with disabilities should be kept to a minimum consistent with the requirements of the IEP and, generally, should not be longer than comparable in-district transportation time for children without disabilities. Transportation travel time out-of-district should also be minimized consistent with the requirements of the child's IEP. Different rules may apply if your child attends a community school.
The following list provides links to other organizations that offer information about special education and transportation.
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