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Accessible Travel Resources
When making travel plans within the United States or abroad it is helpful to know the level of accessibility one can expect, as well as information about the types of services that will be available in different cities. Easter Seals Project ACTION offers the following resources to assist travelers with disabilities in finding accessible transportation services:
In addition to ESPA resources, the following information is provided to assist in make traveling easier and more accessible. Because of the ever-increasing number of publications, Web sites, and resources on accessible travel, this resource guide can only present a sampling of available resources. We hope it will be a helpful starting point and will be glad to provide additional information upon request. Please advise us if you find that contact information or Web links have changed. Also, please note that Easter Seals Project ACTION presents these links to other sites in an effort to help users locate relevant and useful information. We cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by the sites. Linking to another site does not mean a site or product endorsement by Easter Seals Project ACTION.
Accessible Travel Publications
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Easter Seals Project ACTION provides a Quick Reference Sheet on Accessible Travel Resources. This fact sheet lists several resources to aid individuals with disabilities in their travels, including databases, publications, organizations. Download Accessible Travel Resources as a .pdf file*
*The Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to view PDF files. Download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. -
Barrier-Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers, by Candy Harrington, a comprehensive guide to accessible travel, including detailed travel tips and extensive resource lists. The second edition was published in June 2005. -
Emerging Horizons, a consumer oriented magazine about accessible travel. -
An increasing number of states and local communities publish free guides for accessible tourism. The Opening Door, Inc., publishes The Virginia Travel Guide for Persons with Disabilities, and maintains an online list of guides from other locations as well.
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Air Travel Information and Assistance
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New Horizons: Information for the Air Traveler with a Disability -- published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, this online guide is designed to offer travelers with disabilities a brief but authoritative source of information about the Air Carrier Access rules: the accommodations, facilities, and services that are now required to be available. It also describes features required by other regulations designed to make air travel more accessible. -
Hotline for Disability-Related Air Travel Issues: The Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings offers a toll-free number that consumers who experience disability-related air travel problems may use to obtain information and assistance. This service provides general information to consumers about the rights of air travelers with disabilities and assists air travelers in resolving time-sensitive disability-related issues that need to be addressed in real time. This service is available seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time. The toll-free number is 1-800-778-4838 (voice) or 1-800-455-9880 (TTY).
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Nationwide Accessible Van and Equipment Rentals
The following companies rent accessible vans from locations throughout the United States:
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Organizations That Promote Accessible Travel
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Access Exchange International -- This U.S. based group has published a newsletter summarizing its efforts since 1991 to increase accessible transportation around the world. AEI provides technical information and papers to workshops on accessible transport in several countries. Its key publication, Mobility for All: Accessible Transportation Around the World, is now available in many languages. -
Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH) is a non-profit educational organization that has actively represented travelers with disabilities since 1976. SATH's mission is to promote accessibility for disabled and mature travelers and employment for persons with disabilities in the tourism industry. The SATH Web site includes a wealth of information for travelers with disabilities, including online publications, information on travel agencies and tour groups, and links to other valuable resources.
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Additional Online Resources
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Access-able has a database of international travel information, a free email newsletter, and a Web site with information regarding travel with disabilities, mature travel, accessible cruise lines, access guides, wheelchair travel, scooter rental, and accessible transportation. -
Access to Travel, a travel resource sponsored by the Canadian government, provides information on accessible transportation and travel across Canada with the aim of making traveling an easier and more enjoyable experience for Canadians with disabilities. -
DisabledTravelers.com provides comprehensive listings of travel agents, tour operators, adventure travel companies, accessible van & equipment rentals, travel companions, home exchanges, and access guides for travelers with disabilities -
Disability Travel and Recreation Resources is a Web site of organized links to travel information. Topics include: travel planning; travel companions; information on services at different destinations; air travel; and traveling for children. The list concludes with a list of reference books that may be consulted. -
Level Travel has developed a comprehensive rating system that assesses the level of disability access provided by hotels and restaurants, and is deploying volunteer raters to destinations across the United States to rate hotels and restaurants using these criteria. The data collected on each establishment will be added to their online database, and members who pay a subscription fee will have access to this information. As of June 2006, the database is still being built, and LEVEL TRAVEL is seeking accessibility reviews of restaurants in 7 cities. -
TRAVABLE E-mail Discussion List -- The TRAVABLE mailing list was formed to discuss all aspects of travel for people with disabilities. It is open to the disabled community, and their families, and people in the travel industry. Topics of discussion on this list include: sharing travel experiences; passing along any useful information about accessible travel; and sharing ideas on how to make travel better for people with disabilities.
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