Exploring transportation and employment access for persons with disabilities in New York City

The purpose of this capstone is to report on employment and transportation access for persons with disabilities. Federal laws such as The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have been implemented to safeguard this population from discrimination. Individuals that are disabled face a significant gap in employment despite the ADA and other federal legislation. The access to public transportation for individuals with disabilities is limited in cities due to infrastructure and connectivity. Consequently, unreliable public transportation negatively impacts employment opportunities. The population of those with disabilities is expected to increase within the next 20 years due to individuals reaching the age of 65 years and over. As individuals reach 65 years and older, 11.5% can become disabled because of age related impairments or acquired injuries. Employment statistics state 90% of employers report that employees with disabilities have been associated with reduced employee turnover in their organizations. Leaders must train non-disabled employees about their peers that are disabled and make physical and cultural modifications to their organizations structure to make it more accessible and welcoming. By educating leaders in management and transportation through a literature review and internship experience, this capstone presents and suggests changes that can be implemented to improve the transportation and employment for individuals with disabilities. Federal laws and cultural shifts about individuals that are disabled have been changing in positive ways through the last 40 years after the deinstitutionalization process for those with disabilities. Standardization is needed in several areas, creating accessible transportation and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.