7/27/1998

Tim Wheat
(901) 726-6404

Greyhound settles an ADA complaint brought pro se by an ADAPT activist.

(MEMPHIS)Greyhound Bus Lines settled a complaint today that alleged a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Dawn Russell of Memphis ADAPT.

The complaint filed seven months ago in Federal Court was brought pro se. Dawn Russell, who is not an attorney, filed, litigated, and negotiated the settlement asking that Greyhound put lifts on over-the-road buses.

Graphic: a bulldog crushing a greyhound bus like a bone, Text: We will ride that dirty dog!

As part of the settlement, Greyhound's attorneys arranged a conference between Ms. Russell and Greyhound senior officials concerning lifts on buses. Greyhound, furthermore, agreed to donate $5000 to ADAPT, the civil rights organization for people with disabilities that paid the filing fee for Ms. Russell.

"It is time people with disabilities spoke up," said Dawn Russell, "they violated my rights, so I took them to court."

The complaint claimed that Greyhound staff were not adequately or properly trained and did not "provide assistance as needed." Since the 1990 passage of the ADA, Greyhound has delayed needed regulations to require lifts on buses, assuming instead "interim regulations" to direct service to people with disabilities. Final Department of Transportation regulations concerning ADA compliance of over-the-road buses are scheduled for Sept. 15.