RTC releases inspiring video series to celebrate 30^th anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
RTC to feature community advocates, organizations, transit drivers and others that have contributed to equal access to transportation for persons with disabilities

Click to Tweet: Happy 30^th Birthday, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)! @RTCSNV celebrates three decades of equal access for persons with disabilities through blog stories and videos at rtcsnv.com/blog. #ADA30 #RTCSNV

LAS VEGAS – The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) is celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this Sunday, July 26, by recognizing customers, drivers, advocates and community partners that have helped persons with disabilities obtain equal access to transportation.

The RTC will be releasing a weeklong series of blog stories and videos highlighting these unique individuals and agencies that have advocated for equal opportunity and access and in effect, contributed to building our community. Help us celebrate their invaluable contributions to inclusion by sharing their stories. 

Featured individuals and organizations include:

• Raymond Fletcher – a disabilities advocate who has a rare genetic disorder called Roberts syndrome where he was born without limbs
• Jean Peyton – founder of Nevada nonprofit Blindconnect and RTC’s Transportation Access Advisory Committee (TAAC) chairwoman, who became legally blind at 48 and is one of the RTC’s first 1,000 certified paratransit customers
• Monica Curtis – a paratransit driver who is passionate about her job and the people she serves
• Wendy N. – an RTC paratransit customer with a cognitive disability who is able to live, work and travel independently
• Jim Shampoe – RTC’s mobility training supervisor who teaches people with disabilities how to navigate public transportation safely and independently at the RTC’s one-of-a-kind, 14,700-square-foot Mobility Training Center
• Raquel O’Neill – the current president of Blindconnect who runs Angela’s House, a 1,200-square-foot apartment house within the RTC’s Mobility Training Center, designed to teach people who are blind or with low vision how to live independently
• Opportunity Village – a Nevada nonprofit that provides extensive programs and services for people with disabilities

According to the last U.S. Census taken in 2010, nearly one in five people have a disability in the U.S. To observe the 30^th anniversary of the ADA, here are 30 facts about the law, what the RTC has done to improve and promote equal access to transportation, and national resources available to everyone to promote the ADA.

1. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990.
2. July 26, 2020, marks the 30^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Click here to see a full timeline of the ADA.
3. The ADA guarantees individuals with disabilities equal access to public transportation. 
4. According to the U.S. Census’ Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP 2010), there are 56.7 million persons with disabilities in the U.S.
5. 7% of Americans with a disability have a mobility disability, with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
6. The Federal Transit Administration works to ensure nondiscriminatory transportation to enhance the quality of life for Americans.
7. The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD or IDPwD) is celebrated worldwide on December 3 to increase understanding and awareness of disability issues.
8. From 1990 to 2019, the number of buses in the U.S. that are ADA-accessible increased from 51% to 99.8%.
9. All vehicles used for service in the RTC system are 100% ADA-accessible.
10. The RTC offers paratransit service 24 hours a day 365 days a year to those who are determined not functionally able to use the RTC’s fixed route transit service independently.
11. Approximately 20,500 individuals are certified RTC paratransit riders.
12. The RTC made 1.3 million paratransit passenger trips in Fiscal Year 2019.
13. The RTC paratransit service area operates within the fixed-route service area and by law is ¾ of a mile beyond the current RTC fixed-route service area.
14. RTC paratransit customers can pay fare on board vehicles or purchase passes online, by mail or in person.
15. RTC RideCheck is an online tool that allows customers to book new trips, and confirm or cancel existing reservations, 24 hours a day.
16. The RTC’s Paratransit Customer Ride Notification System allows clients to receive reminders about upcoming trips. 
17. It costs the RTC approximately $33 to transport a paratransit customer one way. RTC paratransit customers pay $3 for each one-way trip.
18. According to the RTC’s paratransit report card, the latest average on-time performance for paratransit rides was 95%.
19. The RTC received more than 516,000 paratransit phone calls from customers in fiscal year 2019.
20. The RTC’s Certification Department conducted more than 5,700 in-person interviews in fiscal year 2019.
21. The RTC made 63,174 senior transportation trips in fiscal year 2019.
22. The RTC has a 14,700 square-foot Mobility Training Center (MTC) to teach people with disabilities how to use fixed route transit service.
23. In fiscal year 2019, the RTC trained more than 1,100 customers to use public transit at the MTC.
24. RTC mobility-trained customers access and ride fixed route more than 3,200 times per month on average.
25. Personal care attendants (PCAs) can ride paratransit at no cost to assist certified passengers who need additional assistance.
26. The RTC’s free Securement Assistance for Everyone (SAFE) Program provides the installation of yellow tether straps on mobility devices to ensure safe and proper securement on RTC transit vehicles.
27. Tax incentives are available to encourage compliance with ADA. Visit org/factsheet/quicktips-tax to learn more.
28. The ADA National Network offers a variety of ADA services. Visit org.
29. Free ADA National Network web courses are available at org/factsheet/ADA-overview.
30. Information specialists can answer ADA questions via a toll free hotline at 1-800-949-4232, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

About the RTC
The RTC is the regional authority overseeing public transit, metropolitan planning, roadway funding, traffic management, and the public bike share system. The RTC’s vision is to advance regionally transformative mobility solutions through equitable, innovative and sustainable infrastructure development. The RTC’s mission is to elevate quality of life for residents and visitors through sustainable planning, collaborative problem-solving, and safe and equitable transportation service. For more information about the RTC and our major initiatives or to download the rideRTC app, visit rtcsnv.com. Stay informed by subscribing to our blog or following us on social media.

###