This part provides minimum guidelines and requirements for accessibility standards to be issued by the Department of Transportation in 49 CFR part 37 for transportation vehicles required to be accessible by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq).

Departures from particular technical and scoping requirements of these guidelines by use of other designs and technologies are permitted where the alternative designs and technologies used will provide substantially equivalent or greater access to and usability of the vehicle. Departures are to be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Department of Transportation under the procedure set forth in 49 CFR 37.7.

Accessible means, with respect to vehicles covered by this part, compliance with the provisions of this part.

Automated guideway transit (AGT) system means a fixed-guideway transportation system which operates with automated (driverless) individual vehicles or multi-car trains. Service may be on a fixed schedule or in response to a passenger-activated call button. Such systems using small, slow moving vehicles, often operated in airports and amusement parks, are sometimes called people movers.

Bus means any of several types of self-propelled vehicles, generally rubber tired, intended for use on city streets, highways, and busways, including but not limited to minibuses, forty- and thirty-foot transit buses, articulated buses, double-deck buses, and electric powered trolley buses, used to provide designated or specified public transportation services. Self-propelled, rubber tire vehicles designed to look like antique or vintage trolleys or streetcars are considered buses.

Commuter rail car means a rail passenger car obtained by a commuter authority (as defined by 49 CFR 37.3) for use in commuter rail transportation.

Commuter rail transportation means short-haul rail passenger service operating in metropolitan and suburban areas, operated by a commuter authority, whether within or across the geographical boundaries of a state, usually characterized by reduced fare, multiple ride, and commutation tickets and by morning and evening peak period operations. This term does not include light or rapid rail transportation.

High speed rail means an intercity-type rail service which operates primarily on a dedicated guideway or track not used, for the most part, by freight, including, but not limited to, trains on welded rail, magnetically levitated (maglev) vehicles on a special guideway, or other advanced technology vehicles, designed to travel at speeds in excess of those possible on other types of railroads.

Intercity rail passenger car means a rail car intended for use by revenue passengers obtained by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) for use in intercity rail transportation.

Intercity rail transportation means transportation provided by Amtrak.

Light rail means a streetcar-type vehicle railway operated on city streets, semi-private rights-of-way, or exclusive private rights-of-way. Service may be provided by step-entry vehicles or by level-boarding.

Over-the-road bus means a vehicle characterized by an elevated passenger deck located over a baggage compartment.

Rapid rail means a subway-type transit vehicle railway operated on exclusive private rights-of-way with high-level platform stations. Rapid rail may also operate on elevated or at-grade level track separated from other traffic.

Tram means any of several types of motor vehicles consisting of a tractor unit, with or without passenger accommodations, and one or more passenger trailer units, including but not limited to vehicles providing shuttle service to remote parking areas, between hotels and other public accommodations, and between and within amusement parks and other recreation areas.

(a) Dimensional conventions. Dimensions that are not noted as minimum or maximum are absolute.

(b) Dimensional tolerances. All dimensions are subject to conventional engineering tolerances for manufacturing processes, material properties, and field conditions, including normal anticipated wear not exceeding accepted industry-wide standards and practices.

(c) General terminology. The terms used in this part shall have the following meanings:

(1) Comply with means meet one or more specification of these guidelines.

(2) If or if * * * then denotes a specification that applies only when the conditions described are present.

(3) May denotes an option or alternative.

(4) Shall denotes a mandatory specification or requirement.

(5) Should denotes an advisory specification or recommendation and is used only in the appendix to this part.