On December 2, 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint against the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (“Amtrak”) for allegedly violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131-12165, by failing to make its intercity rail stations accessible to individuals with disabilities by July 26, 2020, as required by the Act. The government sought to enjoin Amtrak from discriminating on the basis of disability and require the company to comply with the ADA. The government also sought compensatory damages for disabled individuals who had been harmed by Amtrak’s inaccessible stations. The case was not docketed or assigned to a judge, however, because the government reached a settlement with Amtrak on the same day it filed its complaint.

The settlement agreement required Amtrak to design at least 135 accessible stations, finish construction at 90 stations, and be in the process of constructing at least 45 stations within 10 years of the settlement date. The agreement also required Amtrak to train staff on ADA compliance and to establish a monitor-approved process for managing ADA complaints. Pursuant to these obligations, Amtrak created the Office of the Vice President of Stations, Properties, and Accessibility. Amtrak also created a $2.25 million settlement fund to compensate mobility-impaired individuals who traveled or attempted to travel at Amtrak’s 78 most inaccessible stations. The settlement was monitored by the Federal Railroad Administration and the Department of Justice.

Becca Rogers - 12/24/2020


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