The Committee on Human Services oversees the District Department on Disability Services and as a result we receive a number of calls from residents who have physical disabilities.  Many of the callers request a rewrite of law or a restructuring of operations.  Some though, merely require a change in attitude or a bit of sensitivity training, as was the case last week.   

The caller was a District resident who uses a powered wheelchair for mobility.  Her wheelchair was in the shop for repairs and in desperation she had reverted to using her old brace crutches while traveling back and forth to work and shopping.  On this day she attempted to catch the bus from her home and travel downtown, a trip that required her to transfer twice.  Approaching the first and second bus she requested the drivers to deploy the lift so that she could board.  They did and she boarded both buses without difficulty.  When she attempted to transfer to the third bus the driver refused to lower the lift saying that it could only be deployed for someone using a wheelchair.  She informed him that she could not negotiate the steps.  The driver refused to lower the lift indicating that he could loose his job if he allowed her to stand on the lift.  

The resident told the driver that she was a practicing attorney and that there is no liability for him if her physical limitation required that she stand on the lift.  A fellow attorney on the bus also came to her assistance urging the driver to allow the resident to board the bus.  Finally the lift was lowered and she boarded the bus.  

As of April 2006 all buses in the WMATA fleet are wheelchair accessible either by lift or ramps.  Following a call to WMATA we were informed that Bus Operators are required to lower the lift whenever requested to do so, regardless of whether or not the customer appears to be impaired.  WMATA also assured us that ongoing sensitivity training would be held and that the identified driver would receive retraining regarding both WMATA’s and ADA Policy.

(Photo credit: WMATA)