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

T303 Handrails, Stanchions, and Handholds

The technical requirements for handrails, stanchions, and handholds include specifications on edges, cross sections, and clearances (i.e., space between gripping surface and adjacent surface). We received only one comment on the proposed technical requirements in the 2010 NPRM related to the cross section of seat-back handholds. In the 2010 NPRM, we proposed that gripping surfaces with circular cross sections (such as those used on seat-back handholds) have an outside diameter of 1 1/4 inches minimum and 2 inches maximum. A seating manufacturer expressed concern that larger diameter handholds would result in significant industry-wide expense and lead to potential safety issues because greater rigidity would be less likely to absorb energy on impact. This commenter suggested that the Access Board instead harmonize with specifications for seat-back handholds in APTA’s model bus procurement guidelines, which provide a 7/8 inch diameter (minimum) handhold with quantification of minimum energy absorption for the seat back and handhold.¹⁶ APTA’s model bus procurement guidelines are well-established in the public transportation industry, and the Board is unaware of any concerns regarding the smaller seat-back handhold minimum specified in those guidelines. Accordingly, in the final rule, the Board has lowered the minimum dimension for seat-back handhold cross sections from 1 ¼ inches (32 mm) to 7/8 inches (22 mm). See T303.3.1.