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

What is a “wheelchair”?

• Section 37.3 of the DOT regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (49 CFR Parts 27, 37, and 38) defines a “wheelchair” as a mobility aid belonging to any class of three- or more-wheeled devices, usable indoors, designed or modified for and used by individuals with mobility impairments, whether operated manually or powered.