The classifieds in this issue offer a diverse group of jobs including a transit general manager and several other executive positions!

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law enacted by the U.S. Congress. Its long title is “An Act to establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability.” It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective Jan. 1, 2009.

In the world of public transit, the ADA law meant that, in the United States, anywhere public fixed route busing is provided, complementary paratransit service must also be provided. For 20 years the paratransit service for wheelchair-dependent riders has been provided in “converted” vans, converted mini-vans, or “body-on-chassis” vans. None of these options provided a purpose-built vehicle.

The conversion vans and mini-vans were built as ambulatory vans, then converted to accommodate wheelchair-dependent riders. The body-on-chassis vans are built on a generic chassis that can become a box truck, a flat bed, a tanker truck or any other of hundreds of configurations. Each option suffers from reduced quality due to two manufactures instead of one.

The significant investments made by both the public and private sectors in the development of policy, procedures, and infrastructure, in addition to timely deployment of ADA compliant transportation services, has been critical to the progress of ADA. It has also resulted in the development of many new and innovative improvements in other modes of transportation.

In the 20th year of ADA, the first and only original equipment manufacturer-built accessible vehicle, the MV-1, is coming to market. This is the only wheelchair-accessible vehicle built expressly for the purpose of transporting wheelchair riders. For years, transit providers and vehicle suppliers have worked together to improve the design and quality of these vehicles. And although considerable progress had been made in improving the quality and performance of converted vehicles, none were fully compliant with ADA, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and Buy America requirements. The MV-1 is designed by The Vehicle Production Group, manufactured by AM General in the Hummer 2 plant in Mishawaka, IN, and distributed to the transit industry by MV Sales and Leasing.

The multi-use MV-1 is based on the principles of “universal design,” which means that it’s easy for everyone to get in and out of the MV-1. Unlike any other vehicle, the MV-1 is the first and only vehicle built from the ground up to meet or exceed the ADA vehicle guidelines. It is not a converted vehicle. It is available with either a conventional gasoline engine or an OEM designed and assembled dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel system. Since CNG is primarily a domestic fuel, it is good not only for the environment, but for lessening America’s dependence on foreign oil.

The MV-1 is Buy America compliant and a cost-effective solution for paratransit operations.

After 20 years, the manufacturers of the MV-1 believe: “It’s about time.”

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