The Atlanta Constitution
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 25 1989

Photo (Dianne Laakso/Staff): A long line of ADAPT protesters marching single file. Above their heads is a very large banner reading "ADAPT WE WILL RIDE." The first young man in line is wearing a sign across his knees reading ADAPT or Perish.

Caption: Disabled demonstrators roll down Peachtree Street Sunday en route to the Atlanta Hilton Hotel on Courtland Street, site of an American Public Transit Association convention. The disabled group wants removal of all barriers to public transportation.

[Headline] Disabled Demand Accessible Public Transportation
Protest Directed at Mass Transit Conference Here

By Sandra Mclntosh, Staff Writer

About 100 disabled people from across the United States and Canada, most of them in wheelchairs, protested in front of the Hilton Hotel in Atlanta Sunday at the start of a convention of mass transit authorities.

Stephanie Thomas, a spokeswoman for the group calling themselves ADAPT (American Disabled for Accessible Public Transportation), said the protesters are angry over the transit group's continued opposition to federal legislation that would prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities.

The protest was timed to coincide with the opening of the convention of the American Public Transit Association (APTA), a trade group representing a majority of public transit systems in North America.

The bill, known as the Americans With Disabilities Act, would make it illegal to discriminate against disabled people in employment and places of public accommodations, would assure those with speech or hearing impairments of special equipment allowing them to communicate with anyone, and would remove barriers in transportation.

It is the latter part that upsets the members of the APTA.

"We assume it will become law, and if it does we'll implement it," said Albert Engelken, APTA’s deputy executive director. "But that doesn't mean we have to be happy about it."

Mr. Engelken said he does not want to sound cold-hearted but with shrinking federal transportation funds it sometimes does not make sense to use those funds to install seldom-used wheelchair lifts on buses.

"We‘re not harsh people, but our job is to offer the most people the most mobility for the best possible price," Mr. Engelken said. Ms. Thomas said her group does not expect the transit systems to refit all their buses immediately, nor make all the train stations immediately available to the disabled.

"We realize it's a longtime goal, and we're willing to wait. We know the costs involved." Ms. Thomas said as other members crowded around, “All we're asking for is a commitment that they‘re willing to do these things and they won't give us that."

The protest, which closed part of Courtland Street. lasted about four hours, and was watched by nearly as many police officers as there were protesters. Police Maj. W W Holley said no arrests were made.

ADAPT members had a permit to hold Sunday's protest, but Major Holley said no other permits have been issued. The group said it plans to stay until Thursday when the convention ends, and may protest again.

Created on

Friday 12 July 2013

Posted on

Wednesday 8 April 2015

Tags

accessible transit, ADA, ADAPT 1989, ADAPT flag, APTA

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