§12186 Regulations

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation must write accessible rules within 1 year after July 26, 1990 to put parts of sections 12182 and 12184 into effect. The Secretary also had to make temporary rules, within that same year, requiring private over‑the‑road bus companies to make buses accessible, but those temporary rules could not force structural changes to buses or require buying boarding devices while they were in effect. After the study called for in section 12185 is submitted, the Secretary must review it and issue final bus accessibility rules within 1 year of getting the study. Those final rules must cover people with disabilities, including wheelchair users, and take effect 3 years after issuance for small providers and 2 years after issuance for other providers. The rules cannot require putting accessible restrooms in over‑the‑road buses if doing so 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 parts of the law not given to the Secretary. All rules must follow the minimum guidelines from the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board under section 12204. If final regulations are not ready, builders who get a proper state or local permit and start work within one year of that permit can meet the law by following the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards in effect when the permit was issued. If the Board issues supplemental minimum guidelines and final regulations still are not issued one year later, builders must follow those supplemental guidelines. For vehicle or railcar designs finished before final rules exist, following the accessibility laws and guidelines in effect when the design was mostly done will count as compliance, as long as those rules do not conflict with this law.