CTA outlines ADA training overhaul: 36-day bus operator program, CSA role and new annual refreshers
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Summary
CTA training leaders described a three-phase ADA training program for bus operators (36 days) and CSAs (13 days), recertification every two years, and new annual refreshers beginning in 2026 to reinforce ramp deployment, kneeling and customer-assistance SOPs.
CTA training and compliance staff told advisory committee members they are emphasizing ongoing operator training and operational procedures to address accessibility concerns raised in rider feedback.
Kim Robinson, vice president of Training and Workforce Development, described a three-phase curriculum for bus operators: classroom, field/demonstration and a qualification phase. She said the complete bus-operator training is 36 days and includes quizzes, field practice and a qualification standard. "We must recertify them every 2 years," Robinson said, and she added that CTA plans to introduce annual refresher training beginning in 2026 to provide more frequent touchpoints with operators.
Irma Gomez, ADA Compliance Programs Manager, outlined classroom topics taught to operators and CSAs: types of disabilities, ADA law and limits on permissible questions, disability etiquette, service-animal policy distinctions and SOPs for ramp deployment and wheelchair securement. Robinson emphasized operational SOPs during field training: operators are taught to approach stops anticipating riders who may need assistance, curve the bus to be approximately 18 inches from the curb when deploying ramps, announce ramp deployment, and secure mobility devices before moving the bus. "If the customer is using a wheelchair or scooter, the operator must deploy the lift without asking," Robinson said.
CSAs receive a 13-day program that includes role play, station familiarization, gap-filler and elevator procedures and a requirement to update elevator-status boards every 15 minutes while on shift. CSAs are instructed to call control for multi-stop assistance needs and to provide alternate-route guidance when elevators are out of service.
Why it matters: Committee members raised that training must be reinforced throughout employees' careers. Robinson said CTA will continue biennial recertification and add annual refreshers and seasonal safety campaigns that include ADA topics to improve consistency in operator and CSA responses to riders with disabilities.