Harper Advances Bill to Improve Accessible Transportation in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, has advanced legislation out of committee designed to make transportation safer and more accessible for people with disabilities.

“People with disabilities, just like anyone else, deserve reliable transportation so they can live their daily lives safely and independently,” Harper said. “By holding drivers accountable, improving training, and making it easier for caregivers to arrange rides, this policy helps ensure everyone has equal access to transportation.”

House Bill 5576 changes the Regional Transportation Authority Act to require that the Northern Illinois Transit Authority meet certain conditions before using money from its Americans with Disabilities Paratransit Fund. The authority must create a system to track the reliability of its paratransit service and evaluate driver performance.

Drivers who receive poor evaluations must complete regular training, especially on how to assist riders who are visually impaired or deaf, including door-to-door service. The bill also requires
that all booking methods allow caregivers to schedule rides for riders who are visually impaired or deaf, making the service more accessible and easier to use.

“At the end of the day, this is about ensuring that everyone in Illinois has access to dependable transportation,” Harper said. “Everyone deserves access to public resources, and living with a
disability doesn’t change that.”