35 Years of the ADA Part 2: Riders Who Moved a Nation Toward Access for All

EILEEN (COLLINS) TURVEY, MPA, CADAC
Director, Accessible Transportation Programs
Executive Sponsor, TriMet-ABLE Employee Resource Group
TriMet
Portland, OR

Thirty-five years ago on July 26, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law, marking a pivotal moment in civil rights history. It wasn’t just the passage of legislation, it was the culmination of decades of activism, sacrifice, and courage by people with disabilities who refused to continue to be left behind. Across the country and in the metro region of Portland, OR, these advocates have transformed the landscape of public transportation, turning it into a more inclusive, equitable system for everyone.

At TriMet, we are taking this anniversary to reflect on how far we have come and celebrate the powerful role riders with disabilities have played, and continue to play, in shaping a system that works for all.

The Power of Protest: A Grassroots Movement
Long before buses knelt or trains included boarding ramps, riders with disabilities were demanding change. Activists like those in the national “Capitol Crawl” in 1990, who famously climbed the steps of the U.S. Capitol to highlight the inaccessibility of public infrastructure, brought attention to the daily challenges faced by millions.

“Our anger was a fury sparked by profound injustices. Wrongs that deserved ire. And with that rage we ripped a hole in the status quo,” wrote American disability rights activist, Judith Heumann, in her 2020 book Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist.

Heumann emphasized that access to the world, including transportation, is a matter of fundamental rights for people with disabilities, not a privilege. She questioned, “If I have to feel thankful about an accessible bathroom, when am I ever gonna be equal in the community?”

Heumann’s work demonstrates her belief that accessible transportation is a key aspect of independent living and equal participation in society for people with disabilities. She advocated for the implementation and enforcement of laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure that transportation, along with other public spaces and services, became truly accessible.

As Denise Figueroa, executive director of the Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley in Troy, NY, and Capital District Transportation Authority board treasurer explains, “Prior to the ADA, it was very difficult to use public transportation in New York City, where I grew up. The subway stations were not accessible at all and the buses, although many were accessible, were difficult to use because driver training was inadequate and there was significant resistance from management and labor. As a result, I could not rely on public transit to get to work or school. We had to use private van services to go to college, and when I started working, I had to drive or get a ride from someone with a van. There was no paratransit at that time either.”

In Portland, local advocates, many of whom were riders themselves, organized, testified, and pushed for a transit system that served everyone.

“I remember when there was no accessible public transit and I had to depend on my family and friends to take me everywhere,” said Jan Campbell, chair of TriMet’s Committee on Accessible Transportation (CAT). “I was lucky then because I was in a manual chair so they could fold it up and put it in their vehicles. Now I am in a motorized wheelchair since the mid-eighties and, because of my spine, can only sit in my motorized wheelchair. My mom said the only one you can really depend on is yourself, so in order to do that, I have no other option but accessible public transit.”

One of those advocates, long-time TriMet rider and accessibility champion Karen Sorensen, remembers when boarding a bus meant waiting on the sidewalk for someone to notice her. “Before the ADA, it wasn’t just that buses weren’t accessible—it was that people didn’t think we mattered,” she says. “We weren’t seen as customers. We were seen as problems.”

That changed with the ADA. Suddenly, transit agencies across the nation were required to provide equal access, and TriMet stepped up.

The Public Transit Industry’s Accessibility Journey
In the years since the ADA became law, many public transit agencies have made significant strides toward accessible transit. Buses are now equipped with ramps or lifts, automated stop announcements, and priority seating. Light rail vehicles feature level boarding, tactile indicators, and audible signals to assist riders who are blind or low-vision.

Paratransit services are in place to provide accessible service when fixed-route stops, or access to those stops, are inaccessible. Those services provide curb-to-curb or door-to-door transportation for eligible riders who are unable to use fixed-route service. Riders can book and track rides via an app or web portal, and innovations like in-vehicle video and GPS systems help ensure safety and accountability.

Perhaps the most powerful change is cultural. Riders with disabilities are no longer just passengers: they are leaders, advisors, and decision-makers. TriMet’s CAT, made up primarily of riders with disabilities, has played a central role in shaping policies, testing equipment, and ensuring that accessibility is built into every project from the ground up.

As Robyn Wallen, Transportation Committee chair of the Missouri Council of the Blind concluded, “All too often, transit agencies make their own judgments about what people need, instead of listening to the people who understand their needs the best. Advisory committees should be made up of people with many different disabilities, sensory, physical, invisible, and even members of the senior community. You will never know someone’s access needs unless you have walked a mile in their shoes. Every group should have representation. These committees should be involved in every step of planning and implementation of new programs and services and should have a voice when there are problems. No decisions about access should be made without the help of these committees, as well as surveying the community before anything is implemented or money spent.”

Human-Centered Innovation
One recent example of TriMet’s commitment is human wayfinding research at Beaverton Transit Center. This project, developed in collaboration with the blind and low-vision community, along with representatives of CAT, explores how audio cues, tactile indicators, and intuitive station design can help riders navigate independently. The insights are informing universal design principles that benefit all riders, including older adults, non-English speakers, and new transit users.

In another milestone, TriMet won APTA’s 2025 Innovation Award for pilot programs aimed at reducing paratransit costs while improving rider experience. Those include piloting services such as Instacart grocery and goods delivery to paratransit-eligible riders, and exploring new technologies like same-day, on-demand services that paratransit riders can reserve like a typical rideshare.

“I call TriMet ‘the Wind beneath My Wings’ because they have given me my independence and freedom,” said Jan Campbell. “I can live by myself, go to work, and do whatever else I want to do, because I can depend on them.”

Looking Ahead
While there is still work to do, the progress made in the last 35 years is testament to the determination of riders with disabilities. The ADA opened the door, but it is the lived experiences and leadership of these riders that continue to push public transportation forward.

As we mark this anniversary, we reaffirm our commitment to access, equity, and continuous improvement. We honor the advocates who brought us here, and we are proud to build alongside them toward a future where every rider is truly seen, heard, and served.

Accessible transit is not just about compliance, it is about dignity, independence, and community. And we are not done. Accessibility is not a finish line, it is a daily commitment to every rider: every curb cut, bus ramp, audible announcement, and policy change is part of a continuing journey toward a fully inclusive transit system where everyone belongs.