Department of Transportation Disability Law Guidance: Questions and Answers Concerning Wheelchairs and Bus and Rail Service

Some wheelchairs weigh more than 600 pounds when occupied, and the design load of the lifts on our vehicles is 800 pounds. Is a transportation operator required to carry these “overweight” wheelchairs?

• Yes. Transportation operators must carry a wheelchair and occupant if the lift and vehicle can physically accommodate them. If a lift has the minimum design load of 600 pounds, there is no requirement for an agency to transport a heavier occupied device. However, if the vehicle lift has a design load of 800 pounds, the agency would need to transport an 800-pound wheelchair/passenger combination, but not a combination exceeding 800 pounds. An operator may deny transportation if carrying the wheelchair and its occupant would be inconsistent with legitimate safety requirements, as when, for example, the wheelchair is so large it would block an aisle or would interfere with the safe evacuation of passengers in an emergency.