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Accessibility

Accessibility on ART

Arlington Transit is dedicated to providing accessible, convenient and reliable transportation to all Arlington residents and visitors. So we’re always happy to offer a little extra help to customers who need it. Here’s how:

Fare Discounts

  • ART provides discounts to customers with disabilities, as well as seniors ages 65 and older, with low fares ranging from $1.10 to FREE
  • Learn more about applying for discounted farecards and passes on our Fares page

Fully Accessible Buses

  • All ART buses can lower or kneel to the curb for easier boarding
  • Bus ramps allow access for riders using wheelchairs and other mobility devices
  • Two wheelchair securement areas are located on every bus – bus operators will assist riders in wheelchairs, making sure they are 100% secured using the provided fastening straps, and deploying the ramp when needed
  • Priority seating for senior citizens and persons with disabilities is located near the front of every bus

Visual and Audio Communication

  • ART bus stops are clearly marked with signs showing the route, stop number for real-time arrival information, and a phone number to call for help
  • Digital signs on the front and side of each bus display its route number and destination, and external speakers announce this information as the bus pulls up to each stop
  • While on board, the next stop will be displayed on an overhead digital sign at the front of the bus, and announced over an internal speaker system
  • After pressing the signal strip or pulling the cord along the window, a sign near the operator will light up, noting that your stop has been successfully requested
  • If you’d like extra help knowing when your stop is approaching, simply ask the bus operator to tell you when your stop is next

Tips for Riders Using Wheelchairs and Mobility Devices

  • Wait at the bus stop where the operator can see you, so they will know to deploy the ramp as soon as your bus arrives
  • If you would like the operator to extend the ramp, lower the bus to the curb, or help you guide your wheelchair or scooter onto the bus, just ask
  • Take advantage of priority seating options near the front of every bus
  • Always lock your wheelchair brakes while the bus is in motion
  • When the bus stops, the operator will remove the securement straps from your wheelchair and extend the ramp for you
  • Wait at the bus stop where the operator can see you, so they will know to deploy the ramp as soon as your bus arrives
  • If you would like the operator to extend the ramp, lower the bus to the curb, or help you guide your wheelchair or scooter onto the bus, just ask
  • Take advantage of priority seating options near the front of every bus
  • Always lock your wheelchair brakes while the bus is in motion
  • When the bus stops, the operator will remove the securement straps from your wheelchair and extend the ramp for you

Passengers with Disabilities

Arlington County offers the following programs to help persons with disabilities and senior citizens get around:

STAR Paratransit

STAR – Specialized Transit for Arlington Residents – provides fully accessible shared paratransit rides for people who have difficulty riding ART’s regular fixed-route bus service due to a temporary or permanent disability.

Book your trip now:

Call 703-228-1900

Monday–Friday, 7am–7pm

Saturday, 8am–5pm

Use the STAR App

Online

Who Can Use STAR?

Arlington County residents with a disability as defined by the ADA that prevents them from traveling to or riding fixed-route transportation like ART, Metrobus and Metrorail can use STAR.

If you are currently certified eligible for MetroAccess, you are automatically certified for STAR as well. Please call the STAR Call Center at 703-228-1900 to make sure we have you in our database.

If you do not yet have a MetroAccess Photo ID, you must complete an application and have it certified by a health care professional. Get your application by:

  • Emailing eligibility@wmata.com
  • Writing to or visiting the Metro Transit Accessibility Center at 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
  • Downloading it from wmata.com

Passengers with Disabilities

Arlington County offers the following programs to help persons with disabilities and senior citizens get around:

Reach A Ride
Reach A Ride is an online search engine showing the multitude of transportation options for persons with disabilities, older adults, persons with limited English proficiency and low-income commuters. Use Reach a Ride’s searchable database – or their toll-free number – to locate a transportation provider in your area.

The ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia, Inc. (ECNV) Travel Training
The ECNV Travel Training program is for persons with disabilities and/or older adults who want to learn to travel safely and independently using public transportation in the Washington Metropolitan Area

SeniorNavigator and disAbilityNavigator
For information on resources of interest to older adults and to persons with disabilities, please consult SeniorNavigator® and disAbilityNavigator.

Title VI

 

Arlington County prohibits discrimination in all its programs and services based on race, color or national origin. Arlington Transit is committed to providing non-discriminatory transportation services to all its passengers and potential passengers, and ART and STAR operate their programs and services without regard to race, color and national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

The responsibility for day-to-day operations of the Title VI program, including the investigation of Title VI complaints, has been assigned to the Title VI Compliance Officer. However, all ART and STAR employees share in the responsibility for implementing this program.

For more information on the Title VI program or if you have comments, please contact the Title VI Compliance Officer at (703) 228-3444. Comments can be also mailed to:

Title VI Compliance Office
Arlington County Transit Bureau
2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 900
Arlington, VA 22201

Any person who believes they have, individually or as a member of any specific class of persons, been subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin may file a complaint with Arlington County. A written complaint must be filed within 180 days after the date of the alleged discrimination. All complaints should be signed and include contact information.

Complaint Form – English   

Complaint Form – Spanish

Title VI Complaint and Investigation Procedures

These procedures cover all complaints under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 12898 “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations” (1994), and Executive Order 13166 “Improving Access to Services for Person with Limited English Proficiency” (2000), for alleged discrimination in any program or activity administered by Arlington Transit.

The following is a summary of the procedures that Arlington Transit uses for investigation and resolution of Title VI customer complaints.

  • Any person who believes she or he has been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, or national origin by Arlington Transit (also known as ART or STAR) may file a Title VI complaint by completing and submitting the agency’s Title VI Complaint Form. Complaints must be received within 180 days of the alleged incident and must be complete.
  • Once the complaint is received, the investigator will review it to determine if our office has jurisdiction. The complainant will receive an acknowledgment letter informing her/him whether the complaint will be investigated by our office.
  • Arlington Transit has 90 days to investigate the complaint. If more information is needed to resolve the case, the Title VI Coordinator may contact the complainant. The complainant has 30 business days from the date of the letter to send requested information to the investigator assigned to the case. If the investigator is not contacted by the complainant or does not receive the additional information within 30 business days, Arlington Transit can administratively close the case. A case can be administratively closed also if the complainant no longer wishes to pursue their case.
  • After the investigator reviews the complaint, she/he will issue one of two letters to the complainant:
    • (a) a closure letter that summarizes the allegations and states that there was not a violation of Title VI and that the case is closed; or
    • (b) a letter of findings that summarizes the allegations, the interviews regarding the alleged incident and explains whether disciplinary actions were taken such as additional training of the staff member or other corrective actions that may occur.
  • If the Complainant wants to appeal the decision, they may appeal to the Arlington County Transit Bureau of the Department of Transportation Office within 10 business days. This appeal will be provided to the Arlington County’s Assistant County Manager. The Assistant County Manager’s decision will be upheld unless the County Manager finds that it constituted an abuse of discretion.

A person may also file a complaint directly with the Federal Transit Administration at:

Federal Transit Administration
Office of Civil Rights
Attention: Complaint Team
East Building, 5th Floor – TCR
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590