49 CFR Parts 37 & 38 - Department of Transportation (DOT) ADA Regulations

(a) Service Area—

(1) Bus.

(i) The entity shall provide complementary paratransit service to origins and destinations within corridors with a width of three-fourths of a mile on each side of each fixed route. The corridor shall include an area with a three-fourths of a mile radius at the ends of each fixed route.

(ii) Within the core service area, the entity also shall provide service to small areas not inside any of the corridors but which are surrounded by corridors.

(iii) Outside the core service area, the entity may designate corridors with widths from three-fourths of a mile up to one and one half miles on each side of a fixed route, based on local circumstances.

(iv) For purposes of this paragraph, the core service area is that area in which corridors with a width of three-fourths of a mile on each side of each fixed route merge together such that, with few and small exceptions, all origins and destinations within the area would be served.

(2) Rail.

(i) For rail systems, the service area shall consist of a circle with a radius of 3/4 of a mile around each station.

(ii) At end stations and other stations in outlying areas, the entity may designate circles with radii of up to 11/2 miles as part of its service area, based on local circumstances.

(3) Jurisdictional boundaries. Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, an entity is not required to provide paratransit service in an area outside the boundaries of the jurisdiction(s) in which it operates, if the entity does not have legal authority to operate in that area. The entity shall take all practicable steps to provide paratransit service to any part of its service area.