Wheelchairs & Scooters

The design and variety of mobility aids used by persons with disabilities has evolved greatly. Powered mobility aids have become much more commonplace and often include options that can tilt and elevate the seat. These features increase the mobility aid's size and weight, which can make boarding a bus more difficult, as the interior space in a bus is limited by the width of traffic lanes and by the clear space between the wheels.

In adopting regulations to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the U.S. Department of Transportation included the following definition to address this issue:

• Wheelchair means a mobility aid belonging to any class of 3 or 4-wheeled devices, usable indoors, designed for and used by individuals with mobility impairments, whether operated manually or powered. 

High Point Transit System vehicles are designed to transport wheelchairs or scooters that are 30" wide x 48" long and have a maximum combined weight of the user and the mobility aid of 800 pounds. IF you use a wheelchair, scooter or other mobility aid that exceeds any of the above dimensions, you may not be able to use some public transportation vehicles.

According to the Federal Transit Administration, an electrically powered personal assisting device such as the Segway is not considered to be a "common wheelchair" under the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you use a Segway to assist with mobility limitations due to a disability, please contact Transit at 336-889-7433 to discuss how and if Transit can meet your transportation needs.