The Truth about Accessible Transportation

By Grace Avila

Transportation is essential to how we live our lives. It promotes independence, freedom, and allows us to participate in our community and society. However, not everyone has equal access to transportation.

People with disabilities face many barriers when it comes to accessing reliable transportation. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), a 2022 survey found that 14.4% of disabled adults lacked reliable transportation compared with those without a disability (4.9%). This statistic can be due to other factors such as being unable to drive due to their disability, not owning a vehicle, or not having access to rides from a support system of family and friends. 

Transportation makes our lives more fulfilling and satisfying, and not having access to it has negative impacts on people. Research shows that transportation barriers increase anxiety and depressive symptoms due to social isolation and lack of social engagement.

There are other modes of transportation that are available for people to use, though those have their own set of limitations as well.

Rideshare services:

Some people with disabilities have opted into using rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft. Rideshare services are convenient, promote independence for those who use them, and are beneficial for people who live in rural areas. However, it is not the most reliable option due to cost and the companies’ histories of discrimination.

Though both rideshare services have accessibility policies in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), disabled people have reported being discriminated against on the basis of their disability. On Reddit, some people said that drivers would cancel their rides due to mobility aids such as wheelchairs, white canes, or service dogs. The Associated Press echoed what disabled people reported: that rideshare services did not effectively enforce ADA regulations and disability training/education to its drivers. Both Uber and Lyft have faced lawsuits over the years for continually discriminating against passengers with disabilities. The Justice Department recently filed another lawsuit against Uber in September 2025.

Public transportation:

Per the ADA, public transportation services, vehicles, and buildings must all meet ADA requirements. For fixed route systems such as city buses and light rails, this includes but is not limited to the following: priority seating, allowing for adequate time to board, accessibility features such as lifts and ramps, stop announcements, hand rails, and reduced fares. 

While using public transportation is an option for people with disabilities, it may not be easily accessible. It can be sparse in rural areas where public transportation is few and far between. Some disabled people may not be able to ride city buses due to the type of disability they have.

Local governments with fixed route systems (such as city buses) are required by the ADA to offer paratransit services, which are transportation services for disabled people who cannot use the fixed route systems due to their disability. 

ADA Paratransit:

Paratransit is a shared-ride public transportation service which means your vehicle will pick up and drop off other passengers who are generally going in the same direction as you. The service is door-to-door, which means it picks you up directly in front of your home and drops you off at your destination. While you can schedule rides the day before, it is better to schedule rides further in advance so you are guaranteed to get one.

Paratransit services provide people with more independence and confidence to travel by themselves throughout the county while allowing them to go to their desired destination, such as work, the doctor, the grocery store, or even a friend’s house.

In rural areas, there could be a high demand for the service and simply not enough bus drivers or buses to fill the need. This could lead to long rides on the bus and prolonged wait times.The truth of the matter is that many areas in the U.S. are not walkable, and public transportation is underfunded.

At the end of the day…

There is not a perfect solution. But there has been—and will be—more progress. We have disability advocates to thank for the strides that have been made over the years. 

In fact, according to Disability Scoop, in March 2026 Lyft reached a settlement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. There were allegations that Lyft drivers had been denying rides to Tori Andres, a blind woman who has a guide dog. While Lyft agreed to pay $63,000 to Andres, the settlement also calls for Lyft to improve its policies such as educating drivers and allowing the Minnesota Department of Human Rights to monitor compliance with the settlement for three years.

This case shows that it is possible for companies to be held accountable when people speak up and voice what matters to them. It may take time, but change does not happen over night. Every win is worth celebrating. Progress is progress, no matter how small.

If you are a person with a disability in need of transportation services, check your county’s public transportation resources to see what is available. If you are interested in paratransit services, check the eligibility guidelines and application process. You may need to do some digging to see what’s out there—and it may take some time—but do not lose heart. Find what works for you.

While we make our own way, we can continue to fight the good fight. We can still advocate for better transportation services—be it rideshare or public transportation.

The best way is to use our voice. Maybe that looks like spreading awareness of this issue on social media. Maybe that looks like leaving feedback comments and concerns online to these companies and transit services. Maybe that looks like attending a virtual or in-person public forum that discusses local transportation services or calling your representatives and speaking up about what’s important to you. Or maybe you write a blog article like this one. It is cool to care, and it is cool when you invite others to care too. The only way forward is by working together and making sure no one gets left behind.