Application of Advisory Committee Recommendations on Passenger Vessel Access: Case Study

Passenger vessel access by people with disabilities will be facilitated by new standards developed by the U.S. Access Board under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The board has been assisted by the Passenger Vessel Access Advisory Committee (PVAAC), an assembly of representatives from the community of people with disabilities and the passenger vessel industry. PVAAC provided recommendations to the board in the form of guidelines for the design, new construction, and alteration of passenger vessels. Its December 2000 report addressed accessibility issues such as onboard and on–off accessible routes, emergency egress and alarms, toilet facilities, lodging, vehicle parking, and employee areas. PVAAC recommendations will be applied to an existing 1,000-passenger, 100-vehicle ferry vessel; and commentary will be provided on the resulting implications for ferry design, new construction, and alterations. The purpose is to further awareness of accessibility issues in passenger vessel design, new construction, and alterations; to highlight areas of opportunity for technology-assisted solutions; and to challenge the design community to develop workable and cost-effective solutions. PVAAC recommendations focus primarily on mid- to large-size passenger vessels (carrying more than 150 passengers), including vessels with overnight accommodations such as cruise liners and coastal excursion vessels. They also address smaller vessels, typically including types such as dinner cruise boats, whale watcher and fishing head boats, and small passenger-only ferries. A sampling of those recommendations will be addressed in addition to recommendations applied to the 1,000-passenger ferry.