U.S. DOT to investigate Detroit bus system

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that on Feb. 14 it will begin a major review of the Detroit municipal bus system’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The DOT is investigating whether the bus system is complying with ADA requirements for wheelchair lifts after five people filed lawsuits claiming that many buses had no lifts or had lifts that were inoperable.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Norman White, director of the Detroit Department of Transportation, said he needs just seven months to satisfy most wheelchair users' complaints.

Detroit plans to replace 121 buses by August, White said. “This will remove a lot of our problematic lifts from service.”