By: Richard L. Smith
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a comprehensive settlement with New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) to resolve allegations that it violated the civil rights of people with disabilities by failing to operate a paratransit service that complied with Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Federal officials said The ADA requires public entities like NJ Transit to provide accessible public transportation to people with disabilities, including a paratransit system comparable to the transportation services provided to individuals without disabilities.
The agreement determined that NJ Transit must ensure that its paratransit system – Access Link – eliminates capacity constraints that significantly limit the availability of transit services to ADA paratransit-eligible persons.
According to information in the settlement, NJ Transit’s Access Link subjected a significant number of ADA paratransit eligible riders to excessively long trips, late pickups, late drop-offs, and excessive telephone hold times.
“Without equal access to public transportation, people with disabilities have been deprived the opportunity to engage in society on an equal basis,” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.
“This agreement removes discriminatory barriers by ensuring that thousands of Americans with disabilities have equal access to public transportation throughout New Jersey.”
New Jersey Transit said they have committed to making five intercity rail stations – Newark Penn Station, Princeton Junction Train Station, MetroPark Train Station, Trenton Train Station, and New Brunswick Train Station – accessible to individuals with disabilities.
New Jersey Transit must modify multiple portions of the rail stations and their access points, including physical modifications to various platforms, waiting areas, parking lots, and restrooms.
Earlier this year, U.S. Attorney Sellinger created a Civil Rights Division with the sole focus on enforcing federal civil rights laws, including the ADA, to protect and uphold the civil rights of those in our community. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s newly formed Civil Rights Division.
Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may file a complaint with the U.S Attorney’s Office at https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement/complaint or call the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Hotline at (855) 281-3339.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov/ or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD).