Customers with Disabilities

Customers with Disabilities

Our goal is to make your travel on Delta Bus Lines a safe, pleasant and convenient experience. Our drivers, customer service personnel and contractors are available to meet the needs of customers with disabilities. We provide assistance with boarding and de-boarding buses, luggage, transfers, stowage and retrieval of mobility devices. This service is provided during transfers, meal and rest stops and other times as reasonably requested. We can help whether you are traveling alone or with a personal care attendant, using various mobility devices, or being accompanied by a service animal.

Assistance is available to customers with disabilities when they travel within the Delta Bus Lines system.

Assistance in Boarding

We will make every reasonable effort to help you if such an accommodation will not delay departure of the schedule on which you wish to travel

Delta Bus Lines Policy on Accessibility and Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
It is the policy of Delta Bus Lines to implement the legal requirements of the Federal and State governments in a manner so as to meet the following goals:

1. To encourage individual and dignified use of the the transit system with minimal assistance from transit system employees, contractors, and other users.
2. To expedite the safe and efficient boarding, transporting, and alighting of all passengers, regardless of mobility status.
3. To adapt to a wide range of mobility aids within the physical limitations of current vehicles and available commercial standard equipment.
4. To minimize any potential damage to mobility aids from the onboard securement system.

To accomplish this policy, the following specific actions have been adopted this 8th day of March, 2002.

Application of Policy

This policy applies to Delta Bus Lines services, facilities, and vehicles.

Facility and Vehicle Design Requirements

All Delta Bus Lines facilities and vehicles shall meet or exceed the minimum requirements for accessibility.

Conforming Mobility Aids

All people using mobility devices meeting the ADA definition of a “common wheelchair” shall be accommodated on Delta Bus Lines services. This definition includes mobility aids meeting all seven of the following requirements:

1. Three- or four-wheeled device
2. Manually operated or powered
3. Usable indoors
4. Designed for and used by individuals with mobility impairments
5. Not exceeding 30 inches in width when measured 2 inches above the ground
6. Not exceeding 48 inches in length when measured 2 inches above the ground
7. Not exceeding 600 pounds combined weight of aid and occupant

Mobility devices meeting all these requirement shall be considered “Conforming Mobility Aids.” Delta Bus Lines will not allow non-conforming mobility aides.

A personal care attendant is permitted to accompany the passenger on the vehicle lift if required, provided the combined weight of the passenger, mobility aid, and attendant does not exceed 600 pounds. The attendant is not permitted to operate the lift .

Traveling Alone or With a Personal Care Attendant (PCA)

You may travel alone on Delta Bus Lines if you can travel independently and do not require assistance of a personal nature, which Delta Bus Lines personnel and its contractors are not required to provide. If you require assistance that we cannot provide, you may wish to include a personal care attendant (PCA) in your travel plans.

At Delta Bus Lines, your attendant must purchase a full-fare ticket to travel with you.

Priority Seating

A priority seating area shall be designated at the front of each vehicle for passengers with limited mobility not using a secured mobility device. Drivers are required to ask passengers occupying these seats to vacate them upon request of boarding passengers. Drivers are not required to enforce the priority seating designation beyond making such a request.

Storing and Handling Your Mobility Aid

Your mobility aid(s) may travel inside the bus if they can be safely stowed in the overhead compartment. Mobility aids that cannot be safely stowed inside the bus will be placed in the baggage compartment, if possible.

Reminder: Always keep your medicine with you. Do not leave it in your checked baggage as we cannot take any responsibility if it gets lost or if it is not accessible to you.

The maximum dimension of the baggage compartment is 33 inches x 33 inches x 48 inches. The maximum weight limit for mobility aids is 200 pounds. Mobility aids that exceed these dimensions and/or weight limits will not be accepted. Please allow sufficient time for the stowing any mobility aid; this will assist in preventing delays in the departure of the bus.

Assistance at Rest Stops

If you havea a disability, we’ll do everything we can to help you have a comfortable journey when you ride with Delta. While some disabilities and needs may be obvious to our employees, others are not and you may be served by several different representatives of other bus companies along the way. It is essential that you ask for assistance at each location where you need help, including each driver if you have different drivers for multiple legs of your trip.

Service Animals

Customers with disabilities accompanied by a service animal are welcome on Delta Bus Lines. The service animal is the responsibility of its owner and must be under the control of its owner at all times (i.e., leash, harness or carrier). The service animal must ride in the bus within the customer’s space. Service animals may not travel in the aisle or occupy a seat. Delta Bus Lines reserves the right to refuse passage to any animal that poses a direct threat to the health and safety of other customers, Delta Bus Lines personnel or contractors. Drivers are permitted to request that persons traveling with a service animal identify that the animal is performing a service function either by verbal or visual means, including but not limited to identifying equipment or markings attached to the animal. Comfort animals no longer qualify as service animals under the ADA.

Alighting

Passengers who use mobility aid devices will ordinarily alight after other passengers at the same stop. Drivers are required to kneel the bus if requested and so equipped, or to deploy the lift if requested, even if the passenger is not using a mobility aid. Drivers are required to assist passengers upon request. At locations where there is no curb or sidewalk, drivers may suggest an alternate stop to allow for easier deployment of the lift; however, drivers are required to allow passengers to alight at their requested stop unless doing so is likely to damage the lift or prevent it from operating properly.

Oxygen / Respirators

Portable oxygen and respirators may accompany you on Delta Bus Lines. A maximum of four (4) canisters may travel with the customer – two (2) aboard the bus and two (2) in the baggage compartment. The maximum dimension for each container may not exceed 4.5 inches in diameter and 26 inches in length. Customers are responsible for ensuring that they have enough oxygen to complete their travel and are responsible for making arrangements for refills while en route. Oxygen canisters to be stored in the baggage compartment must be in protective cases with safety caps on the valves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request priority seating?
Priority seating is available for the elderly and customers with disabilities. However, you may sit where your needs are best accommodated. The front bus seats located in the first row directly behind and across from the driver and the wheelchair securement areas are designated as priority seating. If these seats are occupied, the driver, other Delta Bus Lines personnel and/or contractor may ask the seated customer to move. If the person occupying the seat refuses, he or she cannot be forced to move. You may sit in the next available seat and move to the designated seats as they become available.

Your Rights as a Customer

Upon request to Delta Bus Lines personnel or its contractors, assistance will be provided to you for reasonable requests. Delta Bus Lines is committed to protecting your rights. If you would like to speak to someone about your needs or rights as a Delta Bus Lines customer, please call us promptly at (662) 662-5188. If you feel that your rights as a person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were violated and would like to file a formal complaint, please send a written statement to:

Delta Bus Lines
ADA Compliance Office
P. O. Box 1214
Clarksdale, MS 38614

Please include your ticket showing your travel itinerary, a detailed description of the incident, including: the bus schedule number, date, time and location, as well as the names(s) and/or description(s) of any Delta Bus Lines personnel or contractors you believe did not provide you appropriate assistance.

To arrange assistance for travel within the Delta Bus Lines system, please call us at (662) 627-7893. Here are other helpful numbers:

Telecommunications device for the deaf:
1-800-345-3109
Open 5:00 am – 3:00 am everyday

Hispanic Fare/Schedule:
1-800-531-5332
Open 5:00 am – 3:00 am everyday