Under the terms of a settlement agreement reached in December 2020 between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Amtrak, disabled passengers who traveled or tried to travel on Amtrak may be entitled to compensation. Specifically, passengers who traveled or tried to travel to or from one of 78 inaccessible Amtrak stations as far back as July 27, 2013 may be eligible for a piece of the $2.25 million compensation fund. You can apply for compensation at https://amtrakdisabilitysettlement.com. Continue reading
Tag Archives: ADA
DOT Releases Updated Service Animal Regulations for Air Travel
In an ongoing effort to keep up with changing times, the Department of Transportation (DOT) recently released their updated rules for air travel with service animals. This rule replaces the previous one (http://barrierfreetravels.com/2019/10/dot-updates-acaa-service-animal-regulations/ ). which was released in October 2018.
While the previous rule increased the documentation required to fly with an emotional support animal, this update classifies emotional support animals as pets. The rule is expected to take effect in early 2021, 30 days after it’s published in the Federal Register. Here are the highlights of the new guidelines. Continue reading
Why I Do What I Do
I’ve been covering accessible travel exclusively for the past 25 years, and believe me, I do get a lot of strange questions about the subject. I try to educate whenever I can, and I understand that this is a subject that most people don’t understand unless they have some personal experience with it. Continue reading
The Disney Decision — Reasonable Accommodation vs Able-Bodied Abuse
On June 22, 2020 US District Court Judge Anne Conway ruled on an Americans with Disabilities Act case regarding Disney’s reasonable accommodations for an autistic individual. In a disappointing ruling Conway found that Disney did not have to provide reasonable accommodations (10 front-of-line-passes) for Donna Lorman’s adult autistic son. Continue reading
Covid-19 and the Cruise Industry – What’s Next?
The Covid-19 Pandemic will undoubtedly change a lot of things, from where we shop, to how receive health care. Once the dust settles and businesses begin to reopen, leisure travel will again be something to consider. And I think the travel industry is in for even more changes; in fact, I believe travel in post-Covid-19 times will be an entirely different experience, especially for cruise ship passengers. Continue reading
US Access Board to Update Rail Car Access Guidelines
The US Access Board recently announced that they will be updating the access guidelines for rail cars. To that end they are seeking public comments on the issue. The regulations, which were last updated in 1991, apply to rail cars used in rapid, light, commuter and intercity rail systems. Continue reading
Does Filing an ADA Complaint Really Work?
![onaeg news agency [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]](https://i1.wp.com/barrierfreetravels.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/gavel.jpg)
I get a lot of e-mails about access failures, and unfortunately in this day and age these things still happen. Why? Well part of the reason is that even though we have access laws on the books, we don’t have any entity that goes around and inspects facilities for compliance. And even if we did, there are some things – like providing reasonable accommodations – that you really can’t inspect. Continue reading
Is This Really an Accessible Room?
A low-step shower in a standard — not accessible — hotel room
Thanks to modern technology it’s now possible to share your travel photos with friends and family with just a few swipes and a tap or two. And I absolutely love seeing those smiling faces enjoying cruises, beaches and luxury resorts. But lately I’ve also been seeing another kind of travel post – it usually features a photo of an obviously inaccessible room, with the caption “Really? This is an accessible room?”
And the truth is, well, maybe it isn’t. Continue reading
E-Scooter Companies Called to Task for Alleged ADA Violation
Bird Scooters
E-scooters are all the rage these day. These compact electric scooters are popping up all over it seems; and startup companies like Bird, Lime and Razor now offer affordable rentals through shared ride smart phone apps. It sounds like a win-win proposition, doesn’t it?
Well, not exactly. Continue reading
ADA Super Bowl Tickets
Every year around this time I’m inundated with questions about how to get ADA tickets to the Super Bowl. To be honest, it’s basically the luck of the draw; and to understand this, you have to understand how Super Bowl tickets are allocated. Continue reading