Greyhound to resolve disability claims

Greyhound Lines has agreed to pay at least $300,000 to passengers with disabilities to resolve allegations that it was violating the Americans With Disabilities Act.

The bus company also will pay a $75,000 civil fine and will implement nationwide reforms, such as hiring an ADA compliance manager and requiring annual in-person training to employees and contractors who interact with the public, according to a consent decree pending approval in U.S. District Court in Delaware.

The agreement filed Monday will resolve allegations that Greyhound was failing to provide full and equal services to passengers with disabilities, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Delaware.

“We are fully committed to ensuring equal access to all opportunities society has to offer, including transportation services,” U.S. Attorney Charles M. Oberly III said in a statement.

Federal prosecutors accused Greyhound of not maintaining lifts and securement devices in its bus fleet, failing to provide boarding and exiting assistance to passengers with disabilities at rest stops and failing to allow customers traveling in wheelchairs to complete their reservations online.

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Under the terms of the agreement, Greyhound will compensate passengers who experienced disability discrimination over the past three years. There is no cap on the number of individuals who may submit claims or on the total amount to be disbursed by Greyhound, but the company will be required to pay a total of $300,000 to specific individuals identified by the department, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Once the consent decree is entered by the court, questions about claims can be directed to the claims administrator, whose information will be posted on Greyhound's website and the Disability Rights Section's websites at ada.gov.

Lanesha Gipson, a spokeswoman for Greyhound Lines, issued a statement saying: "We recognize the importance of making travel easy and accessible for customers with disabilities, and we’re fully committed to ensuring that customers with disabilities have equal access to our services. We’ve made numerous improvements over the years to make travel as convenient and hassle-free as possible, and we will continue to make enhancements to our service that benefit customers who need extra assistance."

Contact Jessica Masulli Reyes at (302) 324-2777, jmreyes@delawareonline.com or Twitter @JessicaMasulli.