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City attorney briefs committee on ADA "equivalency" standard for vehicle-for-hire accessibility; members ask licensing follow‑up
Summary
City Attorney Ian Whitehiser told the Accessibility Advisory Committee that federal ADA regulations allow taxi providers to meet accessibility obligations through an ‘‘equivalency’’ standard across their service, and committee members urged licensing staff to require clearer documentation of how providers meet that standard.
City Attorney Ian Whitehiser told the City of Bend Accessibility Advisory Committee that federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rules include an ‘‘equivalency’’ standard allowing private taxi and transportation providers to meet accessibility obligations either by operating accessible vehicles or by demonstrating comparable service across their fleet.
Whitehiser said the federal rules state that “providers of taxi service are not required to purchase or lease accessible automobiles” but that vehicles other than sedans (for example, vans) “are required to be accessible unless the provider demonstrates equivalency.” He emphasized that equivalency can be satisfied by comparing schedules, response times, fares, geographic coverage,…
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