36 CFR Part 1192 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines for Transportation Vehicles (2016 Non-Rail Vehicle Guidelines) - Preamble

A. Format and Organization

As noted previously, the formatting and organization of the 2016 Non-Rail Vehicle Guidelines differs significantly from the existing guidelines. The new format organizes the revised scoping and technical guidelines for buses, OTRBs, and vans into seven chapters, all of which are contained in a new appendix to 36 CFR Part 1192. This organization is consistent with the approach used by the Access Board since the issuance of its Americans with Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines in 2004. The 2016 Non-Rail Vehicle Guidelines use a modified decimal numbering system preceded by the letter “T” to distinguish them from other existing guidelines and standards. Main section headings are designated by three numbers (e.g., T101, T102, etc.). Under each main section heading, the text of the guidelines is organized by section levels. The first section level is designated by a two-part number consisting of the number used for the main section heading followed by a decimal point and a consecutive number (e.g., T101.1, T101.2, etc.). The second section level is designated by a three-part number consisting of the two-part number assigned to the first level section followed by a decimal point and a consecutive number (e.g., T101.1.1, T101.1.2, etc.).

Additionally, as part of its efforts to update its transportation vehicle guidelines, the Access Board has endeavored to write the 2016 Non-Rail Vehicle Guidelines in terms that make its requirements easier to understand. As a consequence, most of the revisions in the final rule are editorial only, and merely restate existing guidelines in plainer language.

Commenters to the 2010 NPRM generally applauded the Access Board’s efforts to revise the existing guidelines, including the format and organization of the proposed rule. Several commenters also praised the proposed rule as providing a much needed “refresh” of the existing guidelines, which were last amended in 1998. Some commenters did suggest that certain provisions would benefit from clarification or a retooled format. In response to such comments, many provisions in the 2016 Non-Rail Vehicle Guidelines have been consolidated, renumbered, or relocated. Even still, most of the scoping and technical requirements in the 2016 Non-Rail Vehicle Guidelines remain substantively the same as the existing guidelines, with changes in wording being editorial only. A side-by-side comparison of the 2016 Non-Rail Vehicle Guidelines and the existing guidelines is available on the Access Board’s website (www.access-board.gov). Unless otherwise noted, section numbers cited below refer to provisions in the 2016 Non-Rail Vehicle Guidelines.