## DISABILIT Y AND COMMUNICATIO N ACCES S BOAR D 91 9 Al aMoan aBoulevard , Roo m10 1 • Honolulu , Hawai i 9681 4 Ph . (808 ) 586-812 1 (VATDD ) • Fa x (808 ) 586-812 9 Septembe r30 , 201 0 Docke t Managemen t Facility U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n 120 0 New Jerse yAvenue , S.E . Wes t Buildin g Groun d Floor , Roo m W12-14 0 Washington , D.C . 20590-000 1 C J c= > tr a

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C O Regarding : Departmen t o f Transportation , 4 9 CF R Par t 39 , Transportatio n fo r Individual s wit h Disabilities : Passenge rVessels ; Fina l Rul e DOT Docke t I D Numbe rOST-2007-2682 9 Dea rSi ro rMadam , Th e Disabilityan d Communicatio n Acces s Board (DCAB ) submit s it s comment s fo rth e U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n rul e t o ensur e nondiscriminatio n o n th e basi s o f disabilit yb y passenge rvesse l operators . DCAB' s comment s ar e a s follows : Emotiona l Suppor

t Animal s DCA B recommend s tha t th e Departmen t of Transportation' s fina l rul e hav e discretio n t o hav e differen t provision s specifi c t o passenge rvessel s tha t ar e simila rt o thos e presentl yi n th e Ai rCarrie rAcces s Act whic h woul d requir e operators o f passenge rvessel s t o allo w acces s fo rindividual s wit h disabilitie s an d thei remotiona l suppor t animals . A n emotiona l suppor t anima l ca n assis t a n individua l wit h a sever e anxietydisorde ri n dealin g wit h th e stressors o f travelin g o n a passenge rvessel . MobilityAid s DCA B recommend s tha t th e Departmen t of Transportation' s fina l rul e hav e provision s t o dWa ^ discretio n wit h respect t o mobilityaid s tha t ca n b e use d o n passenge rvessels . Thes e provision s woul d allo w operators greate rdiscretio n t o permi t o rrefus e th e us e o f a devic e tha t di d o rdi d no t mee t th e definitio n o f a wheelchai rfo rreason s othe rtha n safet y requirements . Suc h factor s ma yinclud e th e desig n an d operationa l characteristic s o f a vesse l an d fluctuatin g vesse l passenge rvolum e tha t ma yvar yat differen t time s o f th e day , week , mont h o ryear . Passenge rVessel s Carryin g Passengers tha t ar e No t fo rHire DCA B note s tha t ther e appear s t o b e a differen t interpretatio n unde rthi s fina l rul e an d th e Unite d State s coastwis e trad e law s regardin g passenge rvessel s tha t ar e carryin g passengers tha t are no t fo rhir e o n a particula rvoyage . Unde rth e coastwis e trad e laws , a vesse l engagin g i n coastwis e trad e tha t i s carryin g passengers no t fo rhir e i s considere d t o b e a vesse l bein g use d fo rprivat e recreationa l purpose s a t tha t time . Th e disparit yoccurs becaus e th e Departmen t o f Transportation' s fina l rul e wa s no t intende d t o cove rpassenge rDocke t Managemen t Facility

U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n Septembe r30 , 201 0 Pag e 2 vessel s tha t ar e bein g use d fo rvoyage s tha t ar e exclusivel yfo rprivate , persona l use . Fo r example , a passenge rvesse l owne ro roperato rtha t carrie s passengers fo rhir e durin g weekday s ma

yals o us e thi s sam e vesse l o n weekend s fo rrecreational , persona l purpose s t o tak e friend s o rfamil ymembers ou t fo ra cruise . Whe n thi s vesse l i s bein g use d exclusivel yfo rrecreationa l purpose s i t i s no t considere d t o b e carryin g passengers fo rhire . I f ma y b e appropriat e t o offe rfurthe rclarificatio n a s t o whethe rth e differin g classificatio n o f a vesse l "no t fo rhire " betwee n th e Departmen t o f Transportatio n rul e an d th e coastwis e law wil l resul t i n an yconflic t wit h compliance . Than k yo u fo rconsiderin g ou rcomments . Respectfull ysubmitted . PETE R L . Chairperso n