Early last month, the Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a settlement agreement with the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (CMTD), in response to alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under Title II of the ADA, public transportation providers are required to provide individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from their services, programs and activities.

One of the major issues in the original complaint was that CMTD’s website and mobile applications were not accessible. This became an issue for some people with mobility disabilities, as they could not use these tools to plan trips, check arrival times and find fare information. And since they couldn’t plan their trips, they couldn’t use mass transportation.

Under the terms of the agreement, CMTD will make sure their website and all applications conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Version 2.1, Level AA. Once these upgrades are made, all users will be able to plan their trips on CMTD’s websites and mobile applications.

This DOJ Mass Transit Settlement also requires CMTD to invest a minimum of $100,000 to improve services for passengers with disabilities. So look for more access improvements at CMTD.

“Equal access to public transit systems is critically important for the independence of people with disabilities and is required by law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement brings us one step closer to realizing the ADA’s promise of equal opportunity for all people regardless of disability status.”