Assessing the Implementation of On-Demand Transportation Services for People with Disabilities

Abstract

As there are many barriers to the effective operation of paratransit services required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), both riders and transit agencies have incentives to shift some paratransit ridership to more effective transit services. To address these barriers, transit agencies have started partnering with technology-enabled third-party companies (e.g., transportation network companies, taxi companies) to provide new on-demand mobility options for people with disabilities. Previous studies identified the benefits and challenges of implementing on-demand services through a public-private partnership, but did not fully investigate the implementation of this emerging on-demand service from the perspective of serving individuals with disabilities. This study conducted online surveys and semi-structured interviews with 10 transit agencies across the United States to understand how this new on-demand mobility option has complemented ADA paratransit services, and what challenges and outcomes the partnerships have experienced over time. Findings indicate that despite the positive impact of implementing the on-demand service on overall service operation and delivery, transit agencies still experienced challenges in providing accessible and reliable on-demand services for riders. Transit agencies and partnering mobility service companies should work together to increase technology adoption, availability and reliability of wheelchair accessible services, and driver sensitivity to the needs of individuals with disabilities, as well as to support the sustainability of the program through continuous evaluation.