Ensuring Access to Public Transportation for People with Disabilities

orange line public transit
September 4, 2017

Since signing the Settlement Agreement in 2006, the MBTA has collaborated with the Plaintiffs and GBLS to ensure that all terms agreed to in the settlement are upheld. This led to the signing of the Joint Assessment in 2010, which was the first official review of the MBTA’s performance since the 2006 settlement. More recently, the 2013 Joint Assessment was signed on March 14, 2014 and concluded an enormous effort by both the MBTA and the Plaintiffs to ensure a detailed accounting of progress made since the settlement, and to highlight what still needs to be done in the future.

To ensure that the points addressed in the 2013 Joint Assessment are executed, the MBTA is collaborating with the Plaintiffs, GBLS and Judge King in constructing a detailed Work Plan. This plan will include a timeline detailing when each individual aspect of the Joint Assessment will be addressed, how it will be accomplished, and who will be in charge of the process.

Emergency procedures were a priority in the settlement agreement. Prior to the settlement, these procedures did not consider the needs of people with disabilities. The System-Wide Accessibility unit of the MBTA has been working to redraft the Emergency Procedures, and is including the Plaintiffs in redesigning the Emergency Procedures Training for MBTA employees.