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Lift- or Ramp-Equipped Buses and Rail Stations

The nationwide fleet of lift- or ramp-equipped transit buses increased to 94 percent (64,407 buses) in 2002 from 52 percent of the bus fleet (29,088 buses) in 1993 (figure 7-6). While compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements (box 7-B) increased from 1993 to 2002, the rate differed among bus types and the gap between them narrowed (figure 7-7).

The small bus fleet had the highest level of compliance in 1993 (79 percent) and articulated buses the lowest (38 percent). By 2002, the small bus fleet continued to have the highest rate (99 percent, or 9,743 vehicles), followed by medium buses with 98 percent (8,550 vehicles). Meanwhile, large buses had the lowest level of compliance (92 percent, or 44,035 vehicles). Articulated bus compliance fell in the middle at 97 percent, or 2,079 vehicles.

Rail transit infrastructure consists of track and stations. In 2002, 53 percent (1,506) of stations were ADA accessible, serving automated guideway transit, cable cars, commuter rail, heavy rail, inclined plane, light rail, monorail, and the Alaska Railroad. In 2002, light-rail riders enjoyed 72 percent accessibility (458 stations), followed by commuter-rail riders with 55 percent accessibility (624 stations) and heavy-rail riders with 37 percent accessibility (366 stations) [1].

Source

1. U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database 2002, available at http://www.ntdprogram.com, as of May 2004.