The Americans with Disabilities Act protects
the civil rights of all persons with disabilities.
SST drivers must comply with this law. Be sure
you understand the following points.All of the information that is presented here is
directly out of either the ADA legislation or
from Steamboat Springs Transit’s own
Paratransit plan. Remember that ADA is civil
rights legislation: intentionally violating a
passenger’s civil rights is a federal crime.
Treat your passenger as you would want to
be treated. |
- Check each lift, securement area and tie‐downs before the vehicle goes in service. Note defects on the VIR and WHIRL. Buses with inoperable equipment must not be sent out except as a last resort and taken out of service as soon as a vehicle with an operational lift becomes available. Drivers do this as part of the pre‐trip for Steamboat Springs based buses and during daily cleaning once in Steamboat Springs for Craig based buses.
- Trade‐out vehicles with safety related defects as soon as possible. Vehicles are permitted to return to base, off route, if no one is at base to help.
- Contact a supervisor if the lift malfunctions during operation. If base is not active, call 970‐846‐1278 or the on call supervisor.
- Contact a supervisor if you come upon an ADA passenger and you don’t have a lift or it is inoperative. Call a supervisor at home if necessary.
- Act immediately. SST has 20 minutes on a mainline or 30 minutes on Yellow, to pick‐up this person from the moment you arrive at the stop. Do not leave the stop until a supervisor and the passenger know when SST will make the pick‐up.
- Do not pick‐up a disabled person manually if you don’t have an operative lift. Do not allow passengers to pick‐up a disabled passenger manually. ADA passengers may not have friends or other passengers carry them on or off the bus for their convenience. Life‐threatening emergencies, such as a fire on the bus, are the only exceptions.
- Allow the person in the wheelchair to choose which way the chair is facing when using the lift. You may recommend the preferred direction. If they are able to, the passenger must hold on to available handrails while the lift is in operation.
- Make sure all brakes on the chair are set when lifting the chair or when the chair is tied down.
- Keep your eyes on the passenger at all times during the lifting or lowering. Do not pinch any part of their body in the lift mechanism.
- Leave the driver’s seat as needed to facilitate the operation of any lift, securement device, or assist with the movement of the chair within the confines of the cabin.
- Use the lift for people who request it whether or not they are in a chair. Make sure they hold on to the rails if they are able to. Watch their head clearance as they enter the doorway.
- Secure all mobility devices with all available securement devices. Do not allow wheelchairs to remain loose within the cabin. You must carry all mobility devices even if they cannot be adequately secured in tie‐down locations. Passengers and the mobility device must face forward in the securement area. The passenger may choose to use the provided seat belt or not. You must ask the passenger if they wish to use the seat belt every time the chair is secured. Hand the passenger a belt cutter for use in emergencies. The driver must check that all securement devices have been properly attached prior to leaving the stop. Explain and demonstrate how to remove all securement devices in the event of an emergency before leaving the stop. Return all securement devices to the proper stowage location as soon as they are no longer being used.
- Do not ask passengers to get out of their wheelchair once on the bus. However, the passenger may choose to do this. The chair should be secured down in any case.
- Permit ADA service animals on the bus. Do not assume that an animal accompanying an ADA passenger is also qualified. You will need to ask the legally allowed questions
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