§12186 Regulations

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation must write accessible rules within 1 year after July 26, 1990 to make sure certain transportation services and facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. The Secretary must also make special bus rules. Within that same year, interim bus rules must require private companies that use over-the-road buses to provide access, but they cannot force structural changes to those buses or require buying boarding-assist devices while the interim rules apply. Those interim rules stay in effect until final bus rules are made. After the Secretary reviews the study under section 12185, new final bus rules must be issued within 1 year after that study is submitted. Final bus rules must require access for people with disabilities, including wheelchair users, and they take effect 3 years after issuance for small providers of transportation (as the Secretary defines) and 2 years after issuance for other providers, subject to section 12185(d). The rules cannot require adding accessible restrooms to over-the-road buses if that would reduce seating. The regulations must include standards for the covered facilities and vehicles. The Attorney General must also issue accessible rules within 1 year after July 26, 1990 for the other parts of the law. All regulations must follow the minimum guidelines from the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. If final regulations are not yet issued, new buildings or alterations with a valid building permit must follow the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards in effect when the permit is issued (or the Board’s supplemental guidelines if one year has passed after those are issued). For vehicles and rail passenger cars, if final rules are not yet issued, a private entity complies if the vehicle design follows the accessibility laws and guidelines in effect when the design is substantially completed, so long as those laws do not conflict with this law.