Breaking Down Barriers: The Realities of Transportation for People with Disabilities in America

Andy Porter
Mar 25
5 min read

Most of us hop in a car, jump on a bus, or ride the subway without giving it a second thought. But for over 70 million Americans living with a disability, getting from point A to point B often isn’t that simple. Transportation—something many of us take for granted—remains a daily challenge that affects everything from job opportunities to healthcare access.

This guide unpacks what the numbers say about these struggles, and what can be done to fix them.

A Look at the Numbers

Let’s start with the scale of the issue. According to the CDC, over one in four U.S. adults have a disability. The Census Bureau puts that figure at 44.1 million noninstitutionalized individuals, which is about 13.4% of the population. And this number is on the rise—partly due to the long-term impacts of COVID-19.

Transportation issues hit this group especially hard:

31% of adults with disabilities say transportation is inadequate (vs. 13% of people without disabilities).
14.4% lacked reliable daily transportation in 2022.
Around 25.5 million Americans say their disability makes leaving home difficult.
Nearly 2 million people with disabilities never leave home—and 28% of them say transportation is the main reason why.

And age plays a role too: fewer than 10% of people under 50 report travel-limiting disabilities, but that jumps to nearly 32% by age 80.

The Types of Barriers People Face

Disability isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither are the challenges tied to transportation.

Mobility Challenges

Mobility issues are the most common. Nearly 1 in 8 adults deal with them. But here’s what that can look like in real life:

Every single wheelchair user surveyed has faced physical barriers on public transit.
Bus stops that are “accessible” on paper often aren’t during rain or snow—62% of them, to be exact.
Modifying a personal vehicle can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $80,000.

Visual Impairments

For the 5.5% of Americans with vision disabilities:

87% say navigation in transport hubs is tough.
72% have missed stops because of poor announcements.
Shockingly, 65% of guide dog users have been refused service by rideshare drivers.

Hearing Impairments

Roughly 6.2% of adults are deaf or have hearing loss. Many say they:

Miss out on critical announcements (76%).
Don’t see visual alternatives to audio cues (only 37% of systems offer them).
Don’t get timely alerts in emergencies—82% of alerts are still audio-only.

Cognitive Disabilities

These affect about 5.2% of working-age adults:

84% say maps and timetables are hard to follow.
Nearly 80% feel unsafe on public transit.
92% depend on routine and find unexpected delays really disorienting.

Urban vs Rural: Two Different Worlds

The accessibility divide between cities and the countryside is massive.

In the Cities:

NYC: Just 27% of subway stations are fully ADA-accessible.
D.C.: All Metro stations are accessible, but 1 in 4 have elevator breakdowns lasting a full day or more.
Chicago has improved—from 46% of L stations being accessible in 2010 to 71% today.
San Francisco leads with 92% of BART stations accessible.

In Rural America:

38% of rural counties don’t have any public transport.
Nearly half of rural residents live 3+ miles from a bus stop.
93% of rural residents with disabilities rely solely on family, friends, or personal cars.
Accessing healthcare? The average trip is 3.2x longer than for urban residents.

Paratransit: A Lifeline That’s Not Always Reliable

ADA-mandated paratransit helps—but it’s far from perfect.

Ridership fell from 223 million in 2019 to 133 million in 2020.
It’s expensive: $40.32 per trip, versus $8.86 for regular routes.
On-time performance is inconsistent—anywhere from 62% to 94%.
1 in 3 users say they’ve been left waiting due to no-shows at least once a month.

The Problem with Private Options

Private transit—taxis and ride-hailing apps—still has a long way to go.

Only 4% of taxis are wheelchair accessible.
Less than 0.5% of Uber and Lyft cars can handle wheelchairs.
Accessible ride wait times average 28 minutes—standard ones just 7.
Fares are up to 30% higher for accessible rides.
Guide dog users face denial about 27% of the time.

The Economic Toll: Jobs Lost to Bad Transit

These transportation hurdles come with a high price tag—for individuals and the economy:

Only 21.3% of people with disabilities are employed (vs. 65.4% of others).
45% of unemployed disabled adults say transportation is a key barrier.
Commute times are 35% longer for disabled workers.
68% have turned down jobs due to transportation problems.
All told, transportation-related employment gaps cost the U.S. over $25 billion a year.

Missed Medical Care

It’s not just about getting to work—getting to the doctor is another major hurdle:

27% delay or miss medical care due to lack of transportation.
That adds up to 30% more missed appointments than the general population.
$6.8 billion is lost each year to preventable ER visits and hospital stays.
In rural areas, 45% travel 30+ miles for specialist care.
34% of people with disabilities ration medication because they can’t reach the pharmacy.

What the Law Says vs. What Actually Happens

The ADA has helped—but compliance isn’t where it should be:

The DOJ has entered 227 transportation-related ADA settlement agreements.
36% of transit agencies audited between 2018–2022 had ADA violations.
Only 78% of bus stops in major cities meet basic ADA requirements.
41% of transportation complaints are about accessibility.

The new 2024 PROWAG standards aim to improve 9.5 million intersections across the country—but that’s a work in progress.

Is Tech the Answer?

Tech is helping, but adoption isn’t equal across the board:

56% of under-45s with disabilities use mobile apps with accessibility features—but only 23% of those over 65 do.
Real-time transit info helps blind travelers travel independently—28% more than before.
86% of self-driving car developers are now using universal design.
Voice systems help 67% of people with cognitive disabilities get around.
Travel training programs improve transit usage by 72%.

What’s Actually Working?

Data-backed strategies show promise:

Dedicated funding: Agencies spending 15%+ of budgets on accessibility see much higher satisfaction.
Universal design: When built-in from the start, it slashes retrofit costs by 67%.
Better enforcement: Regions with strict ADA oversight get 41% better accessibility scores.
Inclusive tech: Co-designed apps get 87% adoption among disabled users.
Community input: Agencies with disability advisory boards implement 58% more accessibility features.
Cross-region planning: Coordination between agencies reduces trip denials by 47%.

Final Thoughts

For millions of Americans, transportation isn’t just about mobility—it’s about dignity, opportunity, and quality of life. While we’ve made progress, big gaps remain, especially in rural areas and private services. The solution lies in evidence, not guesswork—and in involving the very people affected by these challenges.

When transportation works for everyone, it doesn’t just benefit those with disabilities—it makes the entire system more reliable, fair, and efficient for all.