Civil Action NO.02CV11504MEL

A Class Action Lawsuit Requiring the MBTA to Provide Accessible Transportation Services to People with Disabilities

Individuals with disabilities and the Boston Center for Independent Living, represented by Greater Boston Legal Services, united in a successful class action lawsuit and secured a comprehensive settlement agreement in April 2006 that committed the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to improving the accessibility of bus and subway services.

“This agreement is based on a shared vision between plaintiffs and the MBTA to make the MBTA a model transit system accessible to all. There is a mutual commitment and desire to comply not only with the letter but also the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act, with the complete understanding that all people with disabilities must have every opportunity to be fully participating members of our community and that fundamental to this opportunity is the right and ability to use public transportation in an equal, effective, and dignified manner.”

- Introduction to the settlement agreement

Greater Boston Legal Services continues to represent the plaintiffs while the settlement agreement is in its enforcement phase. We invite you to explore our website to learn more about the lawsuit and the resulting Settlement Agreement.

To read the entire Settlement Agreement as filed in the United States District Court, please click here.

Settlement Agreement Press Conference on April 4, 2006

Named Plaintiffs: First Row, left to right: Robert Park, Joanne Daniels-Finegold, Daniel Larkin (seated next to Dan is his wife Cathy Larkin, and BCIL member, Billie Tyler), Gene Smith, Myrnairis Cepeda, Andy Forman, Madelyn Joan Golden (seated next to Ms. Golden is Sybil Feldman, BCIL member)

Second Row: left to right: Named Plaintiffs: Reginald Clark, Thomas Gilbert, GBLS Attorneys: Daniel S. Manning & Taramattie Doucette; and Bill Henning, Executive Director for the Boston Center For Independent Living (BCIL).

Not pictured: Named Plaintiff Rogera Robinson and Maureen Cancemi