Findings

Congress finds the following: (1) Mobility access is a fundamental pillar of independence, equity, and dignity for individuals with disabilities, enabling access to daily necessities and the opportunity to participate in a well-rounded, connected life that would otherwise be out of reach. (2) According to the Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), an estimated 18,600,000 Americans have travel-limiting disabilities that could necessitate reliance on paratransit services to access employment, education, healthcare, and community life, yet they face significant and ongoing barriers to achieve mobility, equity, and inclusion. (3) Over 80 percent of the young adults with disabilities surveyed by the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) stated that they’re often held back from activities because of lack of transportation or inability to drive, resulting in them feeling isolated, frustrated, and even trapped without reliable same-day transit, with access barriers compounded by income level, vehicle ownership, and strict or outdated eligibility and scheduling policies. (4) The Census Bureau projects that almost 1 in 4 Americans will be aged 65 or older and the number of people over age 85 will triple by 2060, thereby increasing already constrained paratransit demand. (5) The transportation provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) only require that complementary paratransit be operated on a next-day basis, requiring riders with disabilities to know and schedule all trips at least 24 hours in advance and leaving no flexibility to adjust to last minute or day-of changes in plans. (6) The lack of flexible, same-day transportation options hinders the lives and opportunities of persons with disabilities, negatively impacting their independence and participation in civic life and contributing to the 10 percent unemployment rate among working-age Americans with disabilities in July 2025, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (7) Technological advancements and product offerings now allow transit agencies to schedule and provide same-day paratransit services through dynamic trip matching, real-time route optimization, and the integration of multiple service providers through API or related mechanisms, all accessible through user-friendly mobile applications. (8) In 2023, the Federal Transit Administration published a Dear Colleague letter to the transit industry extolling the benefits and opportunities for deploying same-day paratransit using existing formula funding. (9) Whereas, same-day paratransit has been proven to improve transit agency cost and service efficiencies, highlighted by MBTA’s RIDE Flex program, which saw total trips increase by 53 percent and operational spend decrease by 6 percent over 3 years with the integration of a same-day service, per the Federal Transit Administration’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP). (10) Congress recognizes the urgent need to modernize and expand same-day paratransit options through formula funding to incentivize transit agencies to provide same-day paratransit services that foster innovation and empower individuals with disabilities to choose the mobility solution that best fits their needs.