DOGGONE SHAME:
GREYHOUND FAILS TEST OF ADA COMPLIANCE

Greyhound claims that they do not need to put lifts on their buses, that they serve people with disabilities just fine without them. In addition, they claim they are complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA. During the month of September ADAPT members made 41 trips on Greyhound in various locations to test the level of service and compliance with the ADA. The results show that Greyhound, over seven years after the ADA was enacted, has hardly made an effort to meet either the spirit or the letter of the law; and that the level of service they afford riders with disabilities, particularly those who use wheelchairs, can only be described as disgraceful.

Findings:

• Greyhound refused to take 32% of the test riders, even though they had already sold tickets to most of these individuals.

• Thirty six percent of those who did ride the buses had to get help from non-employees because employees would not or did not know how to assist. In Reno, Greyhound called 911 to get the rider off the bus.

• And Greyhound required 29% of them to bring their own helper.

• Fifty nine percent of those who rode or attempted to ride found Greyhound personnel were untrained and/or unprepared to assist with boarding and/or stowing equipment.

• Of those who were permitted to ride, 35% specifically mentioned they were bodily lifted on and/or off the bus;

• And 25 % were dropped or otherwise hurt being "helped" on and off the bus.

• Wheelchairs of 18% percent of those who rode were damaged.

• Of the 23 people who mentioned calling ahead to arrange for their rides:
  • 87% reported Greyhound phone line staff were rude and needlessly intrusive;
  • 22% were supposed to get a call back were never called back;
  • 57% specifically mentioned that the information they gave over the phone was ignored or not passed along to the station personnel.

• One of the callers was deaf but could never get a response from the Greyhound ADA assistance line for people with hearing or speech impairments (TTY).

• Fifty nine percent of those who rode or attempted to ride were treated rudely (or worse) at the station or by the driver, including remarks like "people like you should not ride the bus" and "we don't know how to handle your kind of people."

• Twenty two percent of the test riders were asked to reschedule their trip for the convenience of Greyhound, rather than when they needed/wanted to travel.

• Of the 12 trips which involved rest stops, fully 58% of these riders were not given help to get off at the rest stops. Restrooms on the bus are not accessible.

• Although we were not especially looking at building access, five stations were cited as not being accessible.

• On at least 2 sets of rides, Greyhound supervisors felt it necessary to drive behind the bus in a company vehicle to monitor and/or assist with the disembarking en route. Since they do not follow other passengers on their trips, one can only assume even Greyhound's level of confidence in this segment of their service is less than full.

• All of the rude telephone service is part of a required procedure for arranging travel with Greyhound. It was from their "ADA line" [Greyhound's name for it] which is staffed by personnel who should be familiar with the law, as well as the needs of riders with disabilities. After all we are talking over seven years since the ADA became law.

Summaries of Greyhound Test Trips:

York PA: Ramps too steep; non-employee had to help in; doors, restrooms, toilets, phones, water fountain all not accessible; ignored by Greyhound personnel at desk then treated rudely; had an ambulance waiting in Jonestown because "we have to comply with the ADA".

Phoenix to Tucson: Called told 2 staff would help board but on arrival no one to help, carried on feet first, made to feel like a piece of meat.

St Louis to Columbia MO: Called ahead and asked a ton and a half rude uninformed questions, called back several times for even more information, asked to re-schedule trip for another time. Day of the ride Greyhound would sell tickets to only 3 of the 4 because the 4th person did not have an attendant travelling with (neither did the others.) There were access problems at the stations at both ends. The station manager there to supervise the boarding, which took over an hour. They had 2 buses going to the same place at the same time. Manager and an assistant followed them to assist at the rest stop. Since rest stop was so quick they opted not to use it. Restroom in Columbia offered no privacy nor access.

Toledo OH: Riders were planning to go to Bolling Green. Some called, some went down in person to give required advanced notice and all were sold tickets. One deaf individual tried to call Greyhound's ADA TTY line for the deaf but it was never answered. When they arrived at the station for their trip they were told to stand in one line but Greyhound officials then whispered to the other passenger to load for that trip at another gate. When the trick was discovered Greyhound personnel told the ADAPT riders Greyhound would not take them and tried to return their money. A driver said to one of the riders "we don't know how to handle your kind of people."

Wilmington DE & Washington DC: No one to assist at departure, despite call. Finally found people who bodily carried the two on by their arms and legs, setting one woman facing backwards in her seat. Getting off the bus one woman was dropped. Wheelchair was damaged. Return trip had the boarding chair strap wrapped around her neck. When getting off staff told them he had never had any training on this. Both riders were bruised and hurt in the process.

Baltimore MD: Hand carried onto the bus, employees did not know how to safely stow the wheelchair and consequently broke it (despite attempted advice from the rider's assistant). Eventually rider was not able to travel because of the problems stowing the wheelchair.

Oakland, CA to Reno, NV: After a call a week ahead to make arrangements, not enough staff were on hand to assist, nor did they know what to do. Hand carrying this woman on board her shirt was pulled up and she was exposed to God and country, it was "very degrading". Chair was loaded on its side, against instruction by rider, and damaged. In Reno they called 911 to get rider off the bus after leaving her on their for over a half an hour. For her return Greyhound had to have an employee drive from Sacramento to Reno.

Denver to Colorado Springs, CO: Hand carried on, person carrying back fell on second step and dropped him.

Williamsport to Erie, PA: Carried on and off. Driver not trained. Friend with bad back had to carry.

Lebanon & Harrisburg, PA: Greyhound would not assist group of riders, so they had to find their own help. On the way home were told they could not ride anymore, Greyhound staff said people like us should not ride the bus.

Austin to San Marcos, TX: Called ADA 800 number at request of Greyhound, asked tons of rude personal questions. Wanted rider to schedule for another day. Would not commit to having someone help get off in San Marcos, a scheduled stop, so she could not travel.

Austin to San Marcos, TX: Called ADA line over 48 hours ahead. Asked almost an hour of personal, rude and irrelevant questions, wanted to talk to "caretaker". Finally she said someone else would call back but no one ever did.

Denver to Longmont, CO: Driver and another staff person would not listen as to how to hand carry me on board so they loaded rider like a sack of potatoes, hurt and almost dropped him. In Longmont no staff were there to help unload so a passenger, a stranger, had to help (this person listened how to help.)

Washington & Philadelphia, PA: Driver would not help board, aide had to do her best, wheelchair was damaged.

Boulder, CO: Except for needing lifts, uneventful ride.

Boulder to Colorado Springs, CO: Called the ADA line and asked many personal questions, then told to call another non-toll-free number for assistance; person I was told to speak to at that number was out to lunch and never called back. Driver would not fold manual wheelchair, claimed he did not know how and would not try. Someone else had to do it. No other problems.

Denver, Boulder CO: Ride was OK but when calling the ADA line was asked multiple rude personal questions.

Denver to Colorado Springs, CO: Called ahead but information was not transmitted to station so they knew nothing, on the way back the driver, despite a 45 minute layover rushed one of the riders so she almost fell from her chair. The driver was rude about assisting with boarding and walked away so they had to scream to get him to come back and finish helping them.

St Paul MN to Phoenix, AZ: Changing buses in Kansas City people helping broke the rider's rib. Though told ahead of time there would be people to help at the stops, there were not helpers.

Denver to Loveland, CO: Station personnel were rude and hostile. The "ADA Specialist" referred to requirements which are not legal and were not told to us ahead of time, threatening not to take us if the riders if he could not get the chairs apart and commenting about us to strangers. They did not properly stow the wheelchairs so battery acid spilled on the chairs. Driver was rude about one rider whom he did not even need to assist in boarding. In Loveland the driver got 2 passengers to help them get off. They picked up one rider by her arms and legs and hurt her and did not get her properly back in her wheelchair. Another person caught her before she fell out of her chair and finished helping her get in it.

San Francisco to Sacramento, CA: Since staff were not trained in stowing wheelchairs, it took 45 minutes to load the chair, as opposed to 5 minutes on the return trip. Staff did not intervene when other passengers verbally abused the rider, blaming her for their delay.

Grand Rapids & Atlanta: Station in Grand Rapids did an excellent job but then things changed. Not allowed to use the restroom at rest stops, told it would "take too long". No aisle chairs were used anywhere but Grand Rapids (though one sat beside the bus door in Atlanta while they were loaded). Driver blamed delay out loud on these riders. In Atlanta riders were unloaded into other manual chairs (which they could not manipulate), not their own electrics, and left on the curb. One rider was dropped as Greyhound staff were taking her off the bus in Atlanta.

Other reports submitted

Lorain County Ohio: wheelchair user couldn't travel to grandmother's funeral because no lifts on the bus

FT Drum to NYC: refused ride over the phone because she used scooter, despite repeated attempts to convince Greyhound otherwise.

Dayton to Knoxville: Driver would not help put bags on the overhead shelf. Helped on and off at the start and finish of the trip but not at rest stops.

Philadelphia to Joplin, MO: Bus driver looked at passengers chair and would only help her board by lifting her pants leg. When she said it was awfully hot the driver responded "well, take your clothes off." On the return trip the driver ignored her request for help getting off at the rest stop and finally she was able to get a supervisor to help her off.

Conclusions:

These tests are the mere tip of the iceberg, representing a widespread failure by Greyhound to meet either the spirit or the letter of the law. If Greyhound has done such a lousy job of compliance in this interim phase, there is little reason to believe they will do better if they are excused from having to put lifts on their new buses. And lifts would eliminate most of the problems found in ADAPT's test rides. ADAPT believes that in addition to simply providing a much poorer level of service to persons with disabilities, Greyhound has failed to comply with the following specific provisions of the ADA.

Subpart G of the Department of Transportation ADA Regulations published September 6, 1991 out lines the requirements for provision of service. Section 37.167 (e) says "The [public or private transportation] entity shall ensure that vehicle operators and other personnel make use of accessibility-related equipment or features..." Section (f) says "The entity shall make available to individuals with disabilities adequate information ... communications capacity... to enable users to obtain information and schedule service."

Section 37.169 Interim requirements for over-the-road [Greyhound type] bus service operated by private entities. In subsection (b) it says "The private entity shall provide assistance, as needed, to individuals with disabilities in boarding and disembarking, including moving to and from the bus seat... The private entity shall ensure that personnel are trained to provide this assistance safely and appropriately." "(c) ... When the bus is at rest at a stop, the driver or other personnel shall assist individuals with disabilities with the stowage and retrieval or mobility aids..."

37.173 covers training requirements: "Each public or private entity which operates a fixed route or demand responsive system shall ensure that personnel are trained to proficiency, as appropriate to their duties, so that they operate vehicles and equipment safely and properly assist and treat individuals with disabilities who use the service in a respectful and courteous way, with appropriate attention to the difference among individuals with disabilities."

37.5 Non-Discrimination clearly states in subsection (a) "No entity shall discriminate against an individual with a disability in connection with the provision of transportation service." It also states in subsection (e) "An entity shall not require that an individual with disabilities be accompanied by an attendant [helper]."

That Dog
Don't Hunt!

Access is a civil right! Demand that Greyhound include every citizen.

Greyhound wants gifts and pity -
NOT your business

Since 1990 American businesses have been providing access to citizens with disabilities, and reaping the rewards of inclusion. Greyhound, however, cannot compete. They cry for taxpayer help and special government gifts.

Greyhound's feeble policy is to always oppose regulations. If they redirected the energy to doing business with all Americans, it would hurt the strategy of consistently asking for hand-outs.

Access is a civil right. Greyhound should not treat people with disabilities as cargo restrictions. Making a bus accessible will only add 1% to the operating cost for the life of that bus.

Greyhound must comply with the ADA. Simply resisting and delaying will not make the bus company economically viable. They must do business with all Americans. Please unite with us in asking that Greyhound comply with the ADA.

Don't bet on this Greyhound. We will ride!