ADA Policies and Procedures

Port Authority takes great pride in serving the public and connecting people to life throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. There is a myriad of reasons why people choose or depend on Port Authority’s public transportation services. It's Port Authority's mission to continue meeting those needs each day while enhancing the quality of life for tens of thousands of Allegheny County residents.

In that spirit of community, the Authority has teamed up with members of the Committee for Accessible Transportation (CAT Committee) to enhance its communications efforts to Pittsburgh's special needs community, and others, regarding Port Authority's policies and procedures that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

• Frequently Asked Questions
• ACCESS Transportation Systems, Inc.
• Frequently Used Terms
• Committee For Accessible Transportation

ADA Frequently Asked Questions

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed by Congress and signed into law by President George Bush. This civil rights legislation entitles, among other requirements, persons with disabilities equal opportunity to participate in society. As such, public transportation agencies are required by law to provide the necessary ADA-compliant equipment and accommodations.

Public transportation agencies, such as Port Authority, offer paratransit service which is specialized door-to-door transit, shared-ride services for persons who are, due to physical limitations, unable to ride regular fixed-route transit service. Since 1979, ACCESS Transportation Systems, Inc. has operated paratransit service for Port Authority offering shared ride transportation services throughout the Authority's service area.

All Port Authority bus and rail vehicles and the Monongahela Incline are ADA-compliant. Bus lifts - equipment designed to assist persons using wheelchairs or walkers - can be found on most Port Authority buses. The remaining buses, Port Authority's 314 low floor buses (buses without steps), are equipped with ADA-compliant ramps.

Stations along Port Authority's fixed-guideway system – the Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway, West Busway and Light Rail Transit System (T) - are ADA-accessible. These facilities' stations have wheelchair ramps, curb cuts for easy and convenient access, guide rails, and key station information available in Braille. In addition, the T has high-platform stations, allowing unimpeded access to light rail vehicles. However, low-level stops along the T and South Busway, and the Duquesne Incline (which is not operated by Port Authority) are not ADA-accessible.

Like any other equipment, wheelchair lifts and ramps can occasionally malfunction. In that event, Port Authority will enact its "Safety Net" that guarantees transportation for persons with disabilities. Here's how the Safety Net works:

If a wheelchair lift malfunctions and the next bus is more than 30 minutes from arrival, Port Authority will dispatch a bus with a working lift to take you to your destination. If a bus is not available, an ACCESS vehicle will be sent. However, if the next bus is due within 30 minutes, you will be asked to wait for that bus.

If a driver is unavailable to make the call for alternative transportation, please call Port Authority Customer Service at 412-442-2000 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekends and holidays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. If customer service is unavailable, please call the Port Authority Police at 412-255-1350.

If asked, Port Authority operators will assists customers using wheelchairs, canes or walkers. Operators can also assist securing wheelchairs to the wheelchair safety mechanisms equipped on all Port Authority vehicles.

To better assist persons with visual disabilities, the Authority's operators will announce the vehicle's route number and direction (inbound or outbound) upon approaching or servicing a stop or station. Operators should also announce major stops and stations, and permit service animals - such as guide dogs - on all Port Authority vehicles.

Port Authority operators are required to "curb" the bus upon servicing a stop or station. This action places the front door of the bus as close to the sidewalk as possible, therefore allowing all passengers ease of boarding and alighting. It also makes it safer to deploy the bus lift or the ramp.

All Port Authority buses are equipped with kneelers. Kneelers lower the front of the bus, allowing for easier boarding and alighting to and from the sidewalk or street curb. Kneelers are especially helpful to senior citizens or persons with mobility issues who do not need to use a wheelchair, but may need some extra help alighting the first step. If you need the assistance of the kneeler, simply ask the operator to lower the steps.

Yes. As part of the driver training curriculum, all new Port Authority operators are required to attend an ADA training session. Operators are then retrained every three years or upon request.

This training is computer based and tests the operators' knowledge of ADA-compliance and Port Authority's ADA policies and procedures. For example, prior to the bus departing the garage each day, operators are required to fully deploy the bus lift to ensure that the lift or ramp is functional. If the lift or ramp is defective, the operator is required to request assistance through Port Authority's Traffic Division prior to leaving the bus garage.

When necessary, Port Authority operators will ask other Port Authority customers to vacate designated seats for persons with disabilities and senior citizens. This priority seating is located near the front of the bus or light rail vehicle.

Does It Matter What Size Wheelchair I Have In Order To Ride The Bus?

Yes. By law, Port Authority can safely accommodate all ADA-standard wheelchairs on its buses, LRVs, and the Monongahela Incline. A standard wheelchair is approximately 30 inches wide by 48 inches long, and weighs no more than 600 pounds. This limit includes the combined weight of both the individual and wheelchair. The common manual wheelchairs or popular motorized scooters are both considered ADA-standard chairs.

However, persons with disabilities should keep in mind that non-standard wheelchairs may not be compatible with most Port Authority vehicles. These chairs are either too heavy or too large for the bus lift, or cannot be safely secured by the wheelchair safety mechanism. Public transportation riders should take that into consideration when purchasing new wheelchairs or scooters.

What Should I Do If My Bus Stop Is Littered Or Not Accessible In Bad Weather?

Call your municipality or report the problem to Port Authority Customer Service to help ensure that the bus stops you frequent are clear of snow, ice or debris. When accumulated near the corner or along the sidewalk, these factors can make it difficult for Port Authority operators to deploy bus lifts or ramps.

Port Authority's fixed guideway stations are kept clean of snow, ice or debris to ensure the safety of all customers.

No. You can purchase half-fare tickets on the Port Authority Web site. Using the menu, navigate to Fares & Passes, Shop, Purchase Tickets Online. Select the 10-trip Ticket Book Icon and then choose from the chart by zone which book of half-fare tickets you wish to purchase. However when riding the transit system, you will still need to show your half-fare ID card to Port Authority operators in order to use these discounted tickets.

Half-fare tickets can only be used in conjunction with the half-fare identification cards when riding the Port Authority system. The half-fare ID card can be obtained through the Port Authority Service Center, located at 534 Smithfield Street, in Downtown Pittsburgh. By calling the service center at 412-255-1381, an application can be mailed to your home or place of employment. You may also pick up an application from the center during regular business hours.

In addition to the completed application, a letter from your primary care physician stating the reason for, type and length of your disability must also be presented in person to Port Authority personnel at the service center. After an approximate two-week processing period, your half-fare ID card will be issued to you, in person or by mail, if accepted into the program.

ACCESS, Inc. also provides its riders with half-fare tickets to use when riding on the Port Authority system. These tickets are issued to some ACCESS customers who qualify as conditional riders in the ACCESS system. Conditional ACCESS riders are encouraged to use Port Authority services, whenever accessible and available. Contact ACCESS, Inc. for more information about its half-fare ticket program.

Port Authority Customer Service can be reached by calling 412-442-2000 Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekends and holidays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Use this number to register a comment, suggestion or complaint about our service.

If you call customer service when the office is closed, please leave a message with your name, telephone number and the reason for your call. You may also write to us with your comments, suggestions or complaints:

Your comments and suggestions help us improve the system and are valuable in planning and evaluating service. Please tell us when our service exceeds your expectations. Our drivers do everything they can to make your trip pleasant and appreciate being acknowledged. Commendations are signed by the driver's supervisor and presented to the driver who has gone the extra mile. Please also promptly tell us when you have been inconvenienced by our service so that we can immediately correct the problem.

When you call to register a comment, please have the following information ready so that your comment can be processed more efficiently:

• Your name, address and daytime phone number
• The date, time and travel direction of your trip
• A description of what happened, including the location of the occurrence

• the route number, for example "68D"
• the four-digit vehicle number, found in the interior of the bus above the windshield or on the rear exterior of the bus above the taillight (people with visual impairments can find the bus number in Braille on the interior left side of the front door)
• the driver's number which is found on the uniform

ADA Terms and Definitions

Committee for Accessible Transportation

The Committee for Accessible Transportation (CAT Committee) has been in existence since 1991. It is composed of persons with disabilities, agencies which serve them, and members of their families. It advises Port Authority of Allegheny County and ACCESS Transportation Systems, Inc. on how to make public transportation accessible to riders with different types of disabilities. It meets quarterly and is governed by a 15-member steering committee, which is elected by its membership every two years.

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