TransitNews is a newsletter of Tindale-Oliver & Associates, Inc.
Spring 2013
TransitNews ADA Data Collection Technology The Americans with Disabili es Act (ADA) was enacted into law by the U.S. Congress in 1990 to prohibit discrimina on based on disability, requiring equal access to all programs and services offered by an en ty. Title II of the ADA addresses public services, requiring that public en es develop a Transi on Plan to iden fy any barriers to accessibility and list the improvements needed to bring these deficiencies into compliance with the ADA. To assist public transit agencies in the development of the required ADA Transi on Plan and to improve the efficiency and accuracy of ADA assessments, TOA has developed a mobile data collec on applica on. Run on tablets and smartphones, this ADA Assessment “app” enables the recording of GPS coordinates in the field (map views), photographs, and iden fica on of deficiencies, hazards, ameni es, and needed improvements to infrastructure such as bus stops. The informa on is collected in a standardized online form and can then be uploaded online, thereby allowing nearly instantaneous review back in the office. Summary tables of the data, such as the number and loca on of non‐compliant bus stops, can be generated with ease. Automated data collec on using this app is far less me‐ consuming and offers a more accurate product than the standard “clipboard and paper” method. TOA con nues to stand at the forefront of developing innova ve technologies to assist transit agencies. For more informa on, contact Bryan Weinstein, P.E., at bweinstein@ ndaleoliver.com
TOA’s smartphone ADA Assessment “app” allows for photographs, map views, and data collec on in the field.
Inside This Issue Maximizing Your Local Match .......................................................................................... 2 Streetcars: Public Transporta on and Urban Design .......................................................................................... 3 New TOA Transit Projects ................................................. 4