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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 4910-9X 

49 CFR Part 39 

[Docket OST-2007-26829] 

RIN 2105-AB87 

Transportation for Individuals with Disabilities: Passenger Vessels 

AGENCY: Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary. 

ACTION: Final Rule; Request for Comments 

SUMMARY: The Department is issuing a new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rule to 

ensure nondiscrimination on the basis of disability by passenger vessel operators (PVOs). This 

rulemaking concerns service and policy issues. Issues concerning physical accessibility 

standards will be addressed at a later time, in conjunction with proposed passenger vessel 

accessibility guidelines drafted by the United States Access Board. The Department is also 

seeking further comment on three issues, concerning emotional support animals, mobility aids, 

and the relationship of DOT and DOJ rules. 
DATES: This rule is effective [insert date 120 days from date of publication in the Federal 

Register. I Comments should be received by [insert date 90 days from date of publication in the 

Federal Register]. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by the agency name and DOT Docket ID 

Number OST-2007-26829) by any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov and follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 

Jersey Avenue S.E., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, D.C. 

20590-0001 

• Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 

Jersey Avenue S.E., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

• Fax: 202-493-2251 

Instructions: You must include the agency name (Office of the Secretary, DOT) and Docket 

number (OST-2009- ) for this notice at the beginning of your comments. You should submit 

two copies of your comments if you submit them by mail or courier. Note that all comments 

received will be posted without change to www.regulations.gov including any personal 

information provided and will be available to internet users. You may review DOT's complete 

Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477) or you 

may visit http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov. 
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Docket: For internet access to the docket to read background documents and comments 

received, go to www.regulations.gov. Background documents and comments received may also 

be viewed at the U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave SE, Docket 

Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, 

between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert C. Ashby, Deputy Assistant General 

Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement, Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W94-302, Washington, DC 20590. (202) 366-9310 (voice); (202) 366-7687 

(TDD); bob.ashbv@dot.gov (e-mail). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Transportation has issued rules 

concerning nondiscrimination on the basis of disability for almost every mode of passenger 

transportation, including public transportation (bus, subway, commuter rail), over-the-road 

buses, intercity rail, and air transportation. The only mode for which the Department has yet to 

issue rules is transportation by passenger vessels. With this final rule, the Department can begin 

to close this gap in coverage of transportation for individuals with disabilities. 

Background 

When the Department issued its first Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rules in 

1991, we discussed the coverage of passenger vessels. The Department reserved action on 

passenger vessels in the regulatory text in the final rule, and made the following statements on 

the subject in the preamble (56 FR 45599-45560; September 6, 1991): 
Ferries and passenger vessels operated by public entities are covered by the ADA, and 

subject at this time to DOJ Title II requirements as well as §37.5 of this Part....We 

anticipate further rulemaking to create appropriate requirements for passenger vessels.... 

The reason for this action is that, at the present time, the Department lacks sufficient 

infonnation to determine what are reasonable accessibility requirements for various kinds 

of passenger vessels. .. .The Department of Transportation anticipates working with the 

Access Board and DOJ on further rulemaking to define requirements for passenger 

vessels....The Department does want to make clear its view that the ADA does cover 

passenger vessels, including ferries, excursion vessels, sightseeing vessels, floating 

restaurants, cruise ships, and others. Cruise ships are a particularly interesting example 

of vessels subject to ADA coverage. 

Cruise ships are a unique mode of transportation. Cruise ships are self-contained floating 

communities. In addition to transporting passengers, cruise ships house, feed, and 

entertain passengers and thus take on aspects of public accommodations. Therefore 

cruise ships appear to be a hybrid of a transportation service and a public 

accommodation... 

In addition to being public accommodations, cruise ships clearly are within the scope of a 

"specified public transportation service." The ADA prohibits discrimination in the full 

and equal enjoyment of specified public transportation services provided by a private 

entity that is primarily engaged in the business of transporting people and whose 

operations affect commerce (§304(a)). "Specified public transportation" is defined by 

§301(10) as "transportation by bus, rail, or any other conveyance (other than by aircraft) 

that provides the general public with general or special service (including charter service) 

on a regular and continuing basis." 

Cruise ships easily meet the definition of "specified public transportation." Cruise ships 

are used almost exclusively for transporting passengers and no one doubts that their 

operations affect commerce. Cruise ships operate according to set schedules or for charter 

and their services are offered to the general public. Finally, despite some seasonal 

variations, their services are offered on a regular and continuing basis. 

Virtually all cruise ships serving U.S. ports are foreign-flag vessels. International law 

clearly allows the U.S. to exercise jurisdiction over foreign-flag vessels while they are in 

U.S. ports, subject to treaty obligations. A state has complete sovereignty over its internal 

waters, including ports. Therefore, once a commercial ship voluntarily enters a port, it 

becomes subject to the jurisdiction of the coastal state. In addition, a state may condition 

the entry of a foreign ship into it's internal waters or ports on compliance with its laws and 

regulations. The United States thus appears to have jurisdiction to apply ADA 

requirements to foreign-flag cruise ships that call in U.S. ports. 

The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Department's long-held view that the ADA covers 

passenger vessels, specifically including foreign-flag cruise ships. In Spector et al. v. 
Norwegian Cruise Lines, 545 U.S. 119 (2005), the Court held that cruise ships are "public 

accommodations" that provide "specified public transportation" within the meaning of the ADA. 

The Court said that, while there may be some limitations on the coverage of the ADA to matters 

purely concerning the internal affairs of a foreign-flag vessel, matters concerning the ship 

operators' policies and conditions relating to transportation of passengers with disabilities (e.g., 

higher fares or surcharges for disabled passengers, waivers of medical liability, requirements for 

attendants) had nothing to do with a ship's internal affairs. Such matters, then, are clearly 

subject to ADA jurisdiction. It is issues of this kind that are the focus of this final rule. 

The Access Board has been working for some time on drafting accessibility guidelines 

for passenger vessels. On November 26, 2004, the Access Board published for comment a 

notice of availability of draft guidelines for larger passenger vessels with a capacity of over 150 

passengers or overnight accommodations for over 49 passengers. Since that time, the Access 

Board has been reviewing comments received and planning work on a Regulatory Assessment 

for vessel guidelines. On July 7, 2006, the Access Board issued a second notice of availability 

asking for comments on a revised draft of vessel guidelines. Following the review of comments 

on that notice, the Access Board, in cooperation with the Department of Transportation, would 

issue an NPRM and Regulatory Assessment concerning physical accessibility requirements for 

larger passenger vessels. As envisioned, the final rule resulting from such a future NPRM 

would ultimately be joined with a final rule resulting from this final rule in a single, 

comprehensive passenger vessel ADA rule. 

On November 29, 2004, the Department published an advance notice of proposed 

rulemaking (ANPRM) asking questions about the shape of future ADA requirements for 

passenger vessels (69 FR 69247). The Department received 43 comments to the ANPRM. Most 
of these comments concerned the Access Board's draft guidelines and physical accessibility 

issues relating to existing and new vessels, and some of them concerned physical accessibility 

issues specific to very small vessels. The Department is retaining these comments and will 

consider them in context of the continuing work on the Access Board's draft vessel guidelines 

and the future NPRM that would propose to incorporate those guidelines in DOT rules. 

The only comment on the ANPRM that concerned issues included in this NPRM was 

from the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL), a trade association for entities in the 

cruise industry. ICCL recommended that the rules exempt transfers of persons from larger 

vessels to tenders; recognize the flexibility of cabin configurations; exclude from coverage shore 

excursions provided by third-party-vendors, particularly in foreign countries; have eligibility 

criteria and direct threat provisions that allow operators to establish policies that will avoid safety 

risks; permit requirements for personal attendants; and permit limitations on the transportation of 

service animals. The Department addressed these comments in context of the individual sections 

of the proposed rule. 

The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for this rule was issued on January 23, 2007 

(72 FR 2833). In response to the NPRM, hundreds of comments were received from disability 

advocacy groups, the regulated industry, other governmental agencies, and the general public. 

At the request of industry, the Department held a public meeting on April 8-9, 2008, where 

members of these groups attended to inform the Department of their views on the practical effect 

of the NPRM's provisions. This final rule addresses the comments received in the docket and at 

the public meeting. 

Section-bv-Section Analysis 
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§39.1 What is the purpose of this Part? 

This section briefly states the nondiscrimination-related purposes of the rule and specifies 

that nondiscrimination requirements apply to operators of foreign-flag as well as U.S. vessels. 

39.3 What do the terms in this rule mean? 

This section defines the terms used in this rule. Many of the definitions are based on 

parallel definitions in other disability nondiscrimination regulations, adapted to the passenger 

vessel context. This preamble discussion focuses on terms that are specific to the passenger 

vessel context. Other terms have the same meanings as they do in other DOT disability rules. 

Because this rule does not propose physical accessibility requirements for vessels, the 

definition of "accessible" will be fleshed out with proposed standards based on Access Board 

guidelines in a future rulemaking. The definitions of "auxiliary aids and services" and "direct 

threat" are drawn from Department of Justice regulations. "Direct threat" concerns only threats 

to the health and safety of others. Something that may threaten only the health or safety of a 

passenger with a disability, himself or herself, by definition cannot be a direct threat. The 

definition of "direct threat" is consistent with the understanding of that term in DOT and DOJ 

regulations. In the preamble to its over-the-road bus ADA rulemaking, the Department provided 

a thorough discussion of this concept (63 FR 51671-51674), which remains a good guide to the 

Department's thinking on this issue. The definition of "disability" is consistent with recent 

statutory amendments to the term in the ADA. 

The definition of "facilities" is also consistent with the definition of this term in other 

DOJ and DOT rules. Examples of facilities in the passenger vessel context include such things 

landside facilities and floating docks that a vessel operator owns, leases, or controls in the U.S. 
(including its territories, possessions, and commonwealths). Comments received in relation to 

the definition of facilities and terminals from the cruise line industry objected to applying this 

rulemaking to facilities outside the U.S. due to possible conflict with the laws of the host nation. 

As in the case of the Air Carrier Access Act, where the Department does not assert jurisdiction 

over aiiports in foreign countries, the Department does not in this rule attempt to cover port 

facilities abroad. A passenger vessel operator (PVO) would be viewed as controlling a facility, 

even if it did not own or lease it, if the facility owner, through a contract or other arrangement, 

delegated authority over use of the facility to the passenger vessel operator during those times in 

which the vessel was at the facility. 

The Department realizes that entities other than PVOs, such as municipalities or other 

private businesses, may own, lease, or control U.S. landside facilities that passenger vessels use. 

The obligations of these entities would be controlled by Titles II and III of the ADA and, in some 

cases, by section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A relationship is envisioned between 

the facility owner/controller and the PVO to be analogous to other situations in which entities 

subject to different disability access rules share responsibility (e.g., public entity landlord subject 

to Title II leases property to a private entity subject to Title III). 

The term "disability" means, with respect to an individual, a physical or mental 

impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; a 

record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment. A commenter 

expressed concern that passengers may have many different kinds of disabilities and said that the 

proposed rule does not clearly define "disability." Another commenter stated that the definition 

of "disability" is unnecessarily confusing since it allows people who are "misclassified as 

disabled" to be considered disabled for the purposes of this rule. 
The definition of the term "disability" in this rulemaking is based on the ADA statutory 

definition of "disability," from which it would not be appropriate to depart. People who are 

"regarded as" having a disability, even if in fact they don't, have always been a protected class 

under die ADA. It is certainly true that there are many kinds of disabilities, and the definition, as 

fitting in a remedial statute, is intentionally broad. The purpose of the most recent amendments 

to the statute was to overturn the effect of court decisions that Congress believed had 

inappropriately narrowed the scope of the definition of disability in the ADA. 

The definition of "historic vessel" is also one that is likely to become more significant 

when future rulemakings include physical accessibility standards to Part 39. "New," "existing," 

and "used" passenger vessel are also terms that will be of greater importance once physical 

accessibility standards are in place. Because they are not necessary in this regulation, the 

Department has deleted these definitions. We anticipate proposing definitions of these and other 

terms relevant to the application of physical accessibility standards in a subsequent rulemaking 

related to Access Board proposals for passenger vessel guidelines. 

"Operates" means die provision of transportation by any public or private entity on a 

passenger vessel. Moreover, the definition also includes the provision of by another party having 

a contractual or other arrangement or relationship with the PVO involved. As in other parts of 

the Department's accessibility rules, a party can contract out its functions, but carmot contract 

away its responsibilities. 

"Passenger vessel" is meant to be a broadly encompassing term for any boat, ship, or 

other craft that is hired by members of the public or for other activities conducted as a part of the 

vessel operator's normal operations (which could include promotional activities such as the use 

of a vessel by members of the public for which a fare is not charged or free ferry service). Boats 
10 

or other craft that are rented or leased to consumers to be operated by the consumer (versus by 

the passenger vessel operator and its personnel) are not covered. 

One commenter recommended excluding vessels that support offshore oil and gas 

activities from this definition. Such vessels are chartered by a customer principally for transport 

of cargo. Other commenters recommended excluding from the rulemaking supply vessels, crew 

boats, all vessels below a certain size (e.g., 100 gross tons, space for 150 or 6 passengers) school 

training or sailing vessels, party fishing vessels, and research vessels carrying students if the 

"mission" of the vessel would be compromised. 

It appears that many of these comments were based on the premise that this rule will 

require significant physical changes to existing vessels. It will not. This rule addresses policies 

and practices of PVOs, not the design or construction of their vessels. With respect to PVO 

policies that would, for example, exclude an individual because he is blind, or charge extra fees 

because a passenger uses a wheelchair or other assistive device, the nondiscrimination principles 

of the ADA do not apply any differently because of the size or function of a vessel. As it 

develops its vessel accessibility guidelines, the Access Board is taking vessel size matters into 

account, and in future rulemaking the Department anticipates harmonizing its standards with the 

Access Board guidelines, including size limitations the Access Board rule may adopt. 

The Passenger Vessel Association commented that, where a vessel owner or operator is 

not paid for carrying the passengers, there should be no additional requirements placed on the 

owner by the rule. The Department disagrees. The rights of individuals with disabilities are 

protected under the ADA whether or not the individual is a paying customer. There is no basis 

under the statute for treating individuals differently based on their status as paying or non-paying 

passengers. 
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"Passenger vessel operator" is a term that includes both owners and operators of a 

passenger vessel. A PVO may be either a public or a private entity. Sometimes, ownership of 

vessels can be complex, with two or more parties involved,, with yet another party responsible for 

the day-to-day operation of the vessel. In such situations, all the parties involved would be 

jointly and severally responsible for compliance with these rules. 

In a change from the NPRM, the term PVO includes only private entities primarily 

engaged in the business of transporting people. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has authority 

over public accommodations that operate vessels and are not primarily engaged in the business 

of transporting people. DOJ's regulations applicable to public accommodations apply to ensure 

nondiscrimination by such vessel operators. Persons with complaints or concerns about 

discrimination on the basis of disability by vessel operators who are private entities not primarily 

engaged in the business of transporting people, or questions about how DOJ's regulations apply 

to such operators and vessels, should contact DOJ. For these reasons, it has been determined 

that it is not necessary to include provisions in this final rule concerning vessels operated by 

private entities not primarily engaged in the business of transporting people. 

The basic distinction is that a vessel operator whose vessel takes passengers from Point 

A to Point B (e.g., a cruise ship that sails from Miami to one or more Caribbean islands, a private 

ferry boat between two points on either side of a river, a water taxi between two points in an 

urban area) is most likely a private entity primarily in the business of transporting people. A 

vessel operator who departs from Point A, takes passengers on a recreational trip, and returns 

passengers to Point A without ever providing for disembarkation at a Point B (e.g., a dinner or 

harbor cruise, a fishing charter) is most likely a private entity not primarily engaged in the 

business of transporting people. In cases where it is not clear whether a vessel operator is or is 
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not primarily engaged in the business of transporting people, the Department of Transportation, 

in consultation with DOJ, will determine into which category the operator falls. There may be 

certain situations in which a passenger vessel's operations can simultaneously be subject to both 

DOT and DOJ mles. 

The terms, "individual with a disability" and "qualified individual with a disability," have 

similar meanings for purposes of the rule. There could be situations in which a qualified 

individual with a disability may not actually be a passenger, such as in the case of an individual 

choosing to assist a person with a disability in ways that do not involve actually accompanying 

the person on a voyage (e.g., assistance with buying tickets, assistance in moving through a 

terminal, advocating for the person with the PVO concerning policies affecting the person's 

travel). 

"Specified public transportation" should not be read under this Part to include 

promotional rides on vessels for the purpose of informing a vessel purchase. Nor does it include 

operations of vessels by private entities not primarily engaged in the business of transporting 

people. 

"Terminal" refers to property or facilities adjacent to the means of boarding a vessel that 

passengers use to get to the vessel. A terminal, in this sense, can be a large complex, a building, 

or a very simple facility. Importantly, terminals are covered under Part 39 only to the extent that 

the PVO owns or leases the terminal or exercises control over its selection, design, construction, 

or alteration (e.g., PVO selects site for construction of new facility; PVO has choice of docking 

at existing accessible or inaccessible facility). 

The definition of "wheelchair" is taken from the Department's ADA rule for surface 

transportation modes, 49 CFR Part 37. The only difference is that the Part 39 definition does not 
13 

include a sentence refening to the "common wheelchair" tenn. This term was taken from 

Access Board guidelines relating to the design and construction of surface transportation 

vehicles, and it is not clear that the term has a relevant application in the passenger vessel 

context. Moreover, the inclusion of the term in Part 37 has been problematic, in that it has led to 

unanticipated operational applications of what was intended to be a design standard. 

39.5 To whom do the provisions of this Part apply? 

The Department is applying the provisions of this Part to all passenger vessels, regardless 

of size. There are three major exceptions to this general coverage. First, while all U.S.-flagged 

vessels would be covered, coverage of foreign-flag vessels would be limited to those that pick up 

or discharge passengers in the U.S. For example, suppose a foreign-flag cruise PVO operates 

two ships. One of them sails only among ports in Europe. Another picks up passengers in 

Miami and cruises to several Caribbean ports. The latter would be covered and the former would 

not. Several commenters recommended for the rule to apply to all domestic and foreign cruise 

ships, including river cruise ships, regardless of whether the ships picks up passengers in the 

U.S. The Cruise Lines International Association, Inc. disagreed, and commented that the rules 

should not cover foreign flag cruise ships that do not embark, disembark, or stop at any U.S. 

ports because Congress has not made a "clear statement" of intent that the ADA apply 

extraterritorially. This rule covers only those vessels that pick up or discharge passengers in the 

U.S. 

The second exception will address vessel accessibility standards. To this end, this rule 

reserves paragraph (c) to state the scope of the applicability of these standards in the future. As 

noted above, some comments urged exempting small vessels from the rules due to the difficulty 
14 

in making physical modificatrions to such vessels. The Department notes that draft Access 

Board vessel guidelines would limit their application to vessels permitted to carry over 150 

passengers or over 49 overnight passenger capacity categories, as well as tenders with a capacity 

of 60 or more and all ferries. The Department would follow the Access Board's final guidelines, 

when they are issued, with respect to coverage. 

While exemptions or scoping provisions based on vessel size might be appropriate for 

accessibility standards, the Department believes that there is no basis by which to justify an 

exemption from the nondiscrimination provisions not related to such standards. The provisions 

of this rule are do not require physical changes to a vessel, but rather concern an operator's 

policies to ensure treatment for disabled passengers that is consistent with the intent of the ADA. 

The third exception, as noted above, is that the rule will apply only to private entities 

primarily engaged in the business of transporting people, and not to private entities not primarily 

engaged in the business of transporting people. This change eliminates from coverage the vast 

majority of small private entities to which the NPRM would have applied. 

39.7 What other authorities concerning nondiscrimination on the basis of disability apply 

to owners and operators of passenger vessels? 

This section simply points out that recipients of Federal financial assistance (e.g., some 

public ferry operators) are, in addition to Part 39, subject to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 

and DOT implementing rules. Department of Justice (DOJ) ADA regulations, as applicable, also 

cover PVOs, 
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39.9 What may a PVO of a foreign-flag vessel do if it believes that a provision of a foreign 

nation's law prohibits compliance with a provision of this Part? 

Section 39.9, which parallels language in the Department's Air Carrier Access Act 

(ACAA) rules for foreign carriers, provides a waiver mechanism for situations in which a PVO 

for a foreign-flag vessel believes that a binding legal requirement of a foreign nation (or of an 

international agreement) precludes compliance with a requirement of Part 39. This provision 

concerns binding legal requirements, not guidance or codes of suggested practices. It concerns 

situations in which such a binding legal requirement actually precludes compliance with a Part 

39 provision (e.g.. Part 39 says "You must do X," while a binding foreign legal requirement says 

"You must not do X"), as opposed to a situation where foreign law authorizes a practice that 

differs from a Part 39 requirement (e.g.. Part 39 says "You must do Y," while a foreign law says 

"You may do Z"). In a situation where the Department grants a waiver, the Department would 

look to the PVO for a reasonable alternative means of achieving the purpose of the waived 

provision. 

To avoid placing PVOs in a situation in which they potentially would be required to 

comply with contradictory legal requirements, this rule provides PVOs 90 days from the 

publication of the final rule to file a waiver request. If the PVO files a waiver request meeting 

the requirements of this section within that period, it could continue to implement policies that it 

believes are consistent with the foreign law in question pending the Department's decision on the 

waiver request. 

A commenter suggested that an international governing body could be set up to mediate 

issues of conflict between foreign law and U.S. law. The same commenter recommended that 

such a governing body could also evaluate a PVO's alternative means of compliance under the 
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standard of "best interest of the person with a disability." At this time, the Department does not 

believe that the establishment of procedures other than those proposed in the NPRM is 

appropriate or necessary. These decisions are properly made by the Department as part of its 

ADA responsibilities. The parallel provisions under the Air Carrier Access Act have worked well 

with respect to international air carriers. 

Proposed section 39.11, concerning equivalent facilitation, has been reserved since it 

relates mainly to future standards based on the Access Board's vessel design and construction 

guidelines, which have not yet been formally proposed or adopted by the Access Board. The 

Department anticipates proposing such a provision in a subsequent NPRM to adopt Access 

Board guidelines. 

39.13 When must PVOs comply with the provisions of this Part? 

As a general matter, PVOs would have to begin to comply with the provisions of this rule 

as soon as the rule becomes effective. There is no evident reason why PVOs should need a 

lengthy phase-in period to comply with requirements pertaining to denials of transportation on 

the basis of disability, extra or special charges, attendants, advance notice, waivers of liability, 

etc. Indeed, a significant number of PVO commenters said that their practices and policies are 

already consistent with the requirements the Department is making part of this rule. 

Comments were received urging a range of options from requiring inmiediate compliance 

with the rule to delaying the rule until it can be issued with the Access Board's final standards 

and so that training can be conducted for implementing the rule. As the final rule does not 

include training requirements and no vessel modifications are required as a result of this rule, the 
17 

Department believes that simply defining nondiscrimination policies under the ADA does not 

require any lead time for implementation. 

39.21 What is the general nondiscrimination requirement of this Part? 

The provisions of this section are parallel to the general nondiscrimination requirements 

in the Department's other disability-related rules. We call attention particularly to paragraph (b), 

which would require reasonable modification of PVOs' otherwise acceptable general policies 

where doing so is necessary to accommodate the needs of a particular individual or category of 

individuals with a disability. Such modification is required unless it would be unduly 

burdensome or require a fundamental alteration in the nature of the PVO's services, facilities, 

etc. The final rule modifies the NPRM's language to reflect distinctions between the reasonable 

modification obligations of public and private entities, consistent with DOJ rules on the subject. 

A few commenters stated that the language relating to "reasonable modifications" was 

not congruent with other Departmental ADA rulemakings and that the requirement to make 

reasonable modifications exceeds the Department's authority under the ADA. "Reasonable 

modifications" is a central idea of disability law, occurring in many applications of section 504 

of the Rehabilitation Act. A similar provision was adopted in a rulemaking concerning the Air 

Carrier Access Act, and it has caused no problems of which we are aware. Department of Justice 

(DOJ) ADA rules have long included the concept. While the Department's surface 

transportation ADA rule (49 CFR Part 37) does not presently include this language, the 

Department, in a pending rulemaking concerning Part 37, has proposed to add it. The 

Department believes it is appropriate for a PVO to modify policies so that accessible service is 

actually made available to passengers, absent an undue burden or fundamental alteration. 
Commenters were unable to provide any examples of how doing so would be inimical to 

passenger vessel operations or safety. 

39.23 What are the requirements concerning contractors to owners and operators of 

passenger vessels? 

As noted above, contractors and other persons whom the PVO uses to provide services to 

passengers "stand in the shoes" of the PVO with respect to the requirements of this rule. The 

PVO must ensure, through provisions in the contracts or other agreements with such third 

parties, that the third parties comply with applicable requirements. 

Commenters were concerned with the speed at which contracts must be updated to reflect 

contractors' duties on behalf of a PVO with respect to the ADA. All contracts must be updated 

within one year from the effective date of this rule or the contract anniversary date, whichever 

one comes sooner. The Department believes this amount of time is sufficient for compliance. 

Another commenter suggested excluding contractors outside of the U.S. from the 

requirements of the rule. This final rule does not apply to contractors who work with PVOs 

outside of the U.S. However, PVOs are encouraged to voluntarily contract for compliance with 

the ADA to the maximum degree that foreign/international laws will allow. 

In reference to paragraph (b), the same commenter suggested that the requirement to 

include "assurance of compliance" language in contracts should not be applied to contracts 

between cruise lines and their U.S.-based contractors. The commenter expressed that modifying 

contracts to add this required language would cause an "undue burden" on cruise lines and would 

be unnecessary due to existing ADA requirements applicable to U.S.-based contractors. There is 

no showing in any of the comments that the task of making such a modification to the contract 
would be a significant barrier at all, let alone an "undue burden." If, as the commenter suggests, 

the contractors are already in compliance with ADA obligations, the burden on them would be 

negligible. 

Another commenter questioned whether paragraph (b) implicitly requires the creation of 

a written contract where the PVO and contractor have been operating without such a contract. 

There is no mandate for a written contract, though good business practices often involve written 

contracts. However, the absence of a written contract does not excuse noncompliance by a PVO 

resulting from the action of a third party acting on its behalf.The Department does not need to 

receive copies of written agreements between a PVO and a contractor. 

39.25 May PVOs refuse to provide transportation or use of a passenger vessel on the basis 

of disability? 

The Department views any policy or action prohibiting a person with a disability from 

being transported on or otherwise using a passenger vessel as discriminatory on its face. If a 

PVO says to a person, literally or in effect, "you are a person with a disability; therefore stay off 

my vessel," the PVO would violate this rule. 

The Department recognizes that some disabilities may make other passengers 

uncomfortable. That is not a justifiable reason to deny access to the vessel to persons with these 

disabilities (see paragraph (b)). Only if there is a genuine safety issue, meeting the stringent 

criteria outlined in section 39.27, would the PVO be justified in excluding a person because the 

person has a disability. Even in that case, the PVO would have to provide a written or email 

explanation to the person within 10 days of the denial (paragraph (c)). 
20 

Two commenters indicated that historic vessels may not be able to meet the requirements 

of this section. Another commenter inquired as to whether the section allows the PVO to deny a 

"wheelchair-bound" passenger access to a second deck where the deck is only accessible by 

stairs, or from going to a first deck dining space when there is no remaining accessible space in 

the dining room. The Department recognizes that, particularly for vessels built before the 

adoption of physical accessibility standards, some vessels will not enable some persons with 

certain disabilities to travel on or to obtain some services aboard the vessels. For example, an 

older vessel might not have any overnight cabins of a size that could accommodate a person 

using a power wheelchair, or might have a dining area that is on a deck that can be accessed only 

by using steps. The Department would not, in such a situation, regard a PVO's statement to a 

passenger about existing physical barriers as equivalent to a policy denying transportation on or 

use of the vessel on the basis of disability. 

Another commenter suggested using a "strict scrutiny" standard for determining whether 

a vessel's explanation for denying access is reasonable. The "strict scrutiny" legal standard is 

used for assessing constitutional law issues, and it is not suitable for this situation. 

Many of the comments regarding this section ultimately addressed vessel construction 

and the difficulty involved in handling numerous passengers with mobility aids. This 

rulemaking imposes no duty on PVOs to make alterations to their vessels to accommodate 

disabled passengers, beyond existing ADA requirements for Title II (program accessibility) or 

Title III (readily achievable barrier removal) entities. 

As was pointed out by commenters in the public meeting, passenger vessels operate a 

customer service oriented business that necessitates accommodating passenger requests 

whenever possible. However, this rule does not call on PVOs to do the physically impossible. 
21 

For instance, suppose a vessel has entries/corridors that are 30 inches wide and a passenger uses 

a mobility aid that is 36 inches wide. The passenger is not able to be physically accommodated 

through those corridors using this device and the PVO would not be in violation of this rule. (Of 

course, if the passenger chose to use an alternative mobility device that could fit the space, the 

passenger would have to be provided access using the alternative device.) 

Section 39.27 Can a PVO take action to deny transportation or restrict services to a 

passenger with a disability based on safety concerns? 

This section states that a PVO can deny transportation or restrict services to a person with 

a disability when necessitated by legitimate safety requirements. Legitimate safety requirements 

cannot be based on mere speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations about individuals with 

disabilities. They can be based only on actual, demonstrable safety risks. The rule would also 

permit a PVO to deny or restrict transportation of a passenger with a disability in the event that 

the passenger posed a direct threat to others. While there is no recordkeeping requirement in the 

rule, a PVO that claims legitimate safety requirements as the basis for any restriction on a 

passenger with a disability should be prepared to justify the actual safety basis for its restriction. 

This would be an important issue in the review of a complaint by the cognizant Federal agency. 

39.29 May PVOs limit the numbers of passengers with a disability on a passenger vessel? 

The Department views any policy limiting the number of passengers with a disability on 

a vessel as discriminatory on its face. However, the cruise industry and several PVOs 

commented that limiting the number of passengers with mobility aids might be necessary based 

on what a vessel can accommodate either physically or with current staff levels. The Department 
22 

understands these comments but believes it is necessary to differentiate between disabled 

individuals with mobility impairments as opposed to persons with other disabilities such as 

hearing or vision impairments. PVOs do not have any need to limit the number of disabled 

individuals without a mobility impairment. 

However, the Department does recognize that vessel weight and stability requirements 

may necessarily limit the number of disabled passengers requiring wheelchairs or other powered 

mobility devices that can safely be physically accommodated on board at any one time. For 

example, if there are already two individuals on board the vessel using power wheel chairs, and 

accommodating a third such individual would create weight or stability issues that would 

threaten the safety of the vessel and persons aboard it, the Captain could deny transportation to 

the third individual on the basis of a legitimate safety requirement. The Department anticipates 

that this issue would arise only on relatively small vessels (e.g., a small water taxi), not on larger 

vessels (e.g., a cruise ship, the Staten Island ferry). 

The Department also recognizes that, on some smaller vessels, the physical limitations of 

the vessel may impose limits on the number of wheelchairs or other mobility devices that can 

physically fit. This provision is not intended to require, for example, that 10 wheelchairs must 

be accommodated on a vessel where there is physical space for only four. 

39.31 May PVOs limit access to transportation on or use of a vessel on the basis that a 

passenger has a communicable disease? 

39.33 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to provide a medical certificate? 

These related provisions (i.e., sections 39.31 and 39.33) are intended to limit PVOs' 

discretion to impose requirements or restrictions on passengers on medical grounds. Most 
23 

disabilities are not medical conditions: a person is not ill because he or she cannot see, hear, or 

walk, and applying a medical model to many disabilities is inappropriate. On the other hand, 

people with some communicable diseases may have a disability as the result of their disease and 

can pose health threats to others on board the vessel. 

With respect to communicable diseases, the PVO cannot deny or restrict transportation 

on or use of a passenger vessel on the basis that the passenger has a communicable disease, 

unless the PVO acts (1) on the basis of a determination by a public health authority or (2) the 

PVO is able to make a two-pronged determination. One prong is the severity of the health 

consequences of a disease; the other is whether the disease can readily be communicated by 

casual contact. Only if a disease has both severe consequences to the health of other persons and 

is readily communicable by casual contact could a PVO legitimately deny or restrict 

transportation. 

For example, HIV/AIDS has severe health consequences, but is not readily 

communicable by casual contact. The common cold is readily communicable by casual contact 

but does not have severe health consequences. Consequently, having a cold or AIDS would not 

be a basis on which a PVO could limit a person's transportation on or use of a vessel. Probably 

the best recent example of a disease that meets both criteria is Severe Acute Respiratory 

Syndrome (SARS), and a readily human-to-human transmissible flu pandemic with severe 

effects on persons contracting the disease or an outbreak of norovirus would also qualify. 

It should be noted that there could be some circumstances in which the two criteria 

mentioned in this section could interact. For example, a public health authority could issue an 

alert or recommendation concerning the travel by people with a particular disease, but not make 

a determination that such persons could not travel at all. In these circumstances, a PVO could 
24 

still restrict travel by persons with the disease if it met both the casual contact transmission and 

severe health consequences prongs of the regulatory test in this section. 

It is important that, in addressing communicable disease issues, PVOs act in a 

nondiscriminatory way. Policies for excluding passengers on the basis of communicable disease 

or illness must not be exercised to exclude disabled passengers disproportionately. For example, 

if only deaf individuals with norovirus are denied boarding, while hearing passengers with the 

same condition are allowed to board, there would be a violation of this rule. 

In any case in which a medical certificate may be required or a limitation on a 

passenger's travel be imposed because of a communicable disease, the limitation would have to 

be the minimum needed to deal with the medical issue involved. For example, the PVO would 

not be authorized to deny transportation to an individual if a less drastic alternative, such as the 

passenger's use of medical measures that would reduce the likelihood of the transmission of an 

illness, is available. 

If a PVO refuses transportation to a passenger with a disability on grounds related to a 

communicable disease or other medical condition, the PVO must permit the passenger to travel 

or use the vessel (or a comparable vessel for a comparable trip) at a later available date within 

one year at the same price as the original trip or, at the passenger's discretion, provide a refund. 

If there is not an available date for the passenger to be rebooked within one year, a refund would 

have to be provided. 

Section 39,31 would prohibit a PVO from requiring a medical certificate in any situation 

other than the communicable disease situation discussed in section 39.31. This represents a 

change from the NPRM, in which the Department proposed to permit medical certificates in 

circumstances such as the use of personal oxygen supplies or a determination by vessel personnel 
25 

that an individual could not travel successfully without requiring extraordinary medical 

assistance. The Department believes that, in the passenger vessel context (as distinct from airline 

service, on which these proposals were modeled), the risks that these proposals were intended to 

address are much less probable, and that imposing medical certificate requirements on 

passengers are consequently not justified. 

Two commenters objected to allowing the PVO to require medical certification from a 

disabled individual under any circumstance. Other commenters were in favor of requiring 

medical documentation under all circumstances. Another commenter suggested allowing PVOs 

to restrict the number of passengers with disabilities that are at a very high risk of requiring 

emergency and/or extensive medical care during the course of the voyage. As noted above, the 

Department believes that provisions of this kind are unnecessary and could lead to unfair 

exclusions or restrictions for passengers. We therefore did not include such provisions in the 

final rule. 

39.35 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to provide advance notice that he or 

she is traveling on or using a passenger vessel when no special privileges or services are 

sought? 

39.37 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to provide advance notice in order 

to obtain particular auxiliary aids and services or to arrange group travel? 

These related sections (i.e., sections 39.35 and 39.37) make clear that it is never 

appropriate for a PVO to require a person to provide advance notice simply that he or she is 

planning to travel, just because he or she has a disability. The PVO's nondiscriminatory policies 

and practices should be in place, regardless. On the other hand, there may be specific 
26 

circumstances in which provision of advance notice is needed. These include to groups of 10 or 

more passengers with disabilities traveling together and the provision of a particular auxiliary aid 

or service (e.g., a sign language interpreter). Numerous comments were received on these 

provisions. The main thrust of these comments was that PVOs need to know what sort of 

disabilities their passengers have in order to adequately plan to accommodate them from both a 

safety perspective and to provide them the best experience possible. The Department is 

sympathetic to this position and seeks to try to balance the right of privacy of the passengers with 

the need of PVOs to plan to accommodate and provide services to passengers. Passengers with a 

disability are not required to identify themselves as disabled when they are seeking no special 

privileges or services or auxiliary aids or services. PVOs can legitimately suggest that 

passengers with disabilities voluntarily self-disclose needs for special privileges or services, and 

it may be prudent for passengers to do so in order to avoid confusion. 

However, with respect to groups of passengers with disabilities traveling together, a 

passenger may be required to identify that need to the PVO at the time of reservation. Likewise, 

a passenger seeking a particular auxiliary aid or service may be required to provide advance 

notice. PVOs' reservation and information systems must ensure that when passengers provide 

this notice, the information is transmitted clearly and on time to persons who need to provide the 

services involved, PVOs should consider soliciting information regarding the need for special 

assistance from all persons making a reservation. 

Section 39.39 How do PVOs ensure that passengers with disabilities are able to use 

accessible cabins? 
27 

The Department anticipates that the forthcoming Access Board guidelines will address 

the scoping and dimensions of accessible cabins on new or altered vessels. While this rule 

consequently does not require vessels with overnight accommodations to have accessible cabins, 

we recognize that cabins identified by PVOs as accessible do exist on some vessels. This section 

concerns how PVOs would make sure that passengers with disabilities actually are able to get 

those accessible cabins. The Department recognizes that non-disabled passengers, understanding 

that accessible cabins are somewhat more roomy than other cabins in the same class of service, 

may sometimes seek to reserve those cabins, making them unavailable to passengers with 

disabilities. 

The NPRM proposed a system in which a passenger requesting an accessible cabin would 

be required, at the PVO's request, to present documentation of the physical condition that 

necessitates use of an accessible cabins, at which point their reservations would trump even 

earlier reservations for an accessible cabin made by non-disabled passengers, though no 

passengers would ever be "bumped" from the voyage as a result. Some commenters objected to 

having to provide medical documentation. Others said that passengers with disabilities should 

be able to book an accessible cabin up to the day of sailing, while other commenters stated that 

reservations for accessible cabins should be made within a set time frame (i.e., 72 hours) before 

departure. 

In response to comments, the Department is deleting the proposed requirement that 

passengers provide documentation of their disability and revising the reservation requirements. 

Instead, the final rule includes what we believe is a simpler system, in which accessible cabins 

must be withheld from reservation until all cabins in that class of service have been reserved. If 

a passenger with a disability requests a remaining accessible cabin, then the passenger with a 
28 

disability gets that cabin. However, once all the other, non-accessible cabins have been booked, 

the PVO may, if it chooses, book the cabins for non-disabled passengers. 

While the final rule does not require or permit medical documentation for persons 

reserving accessible cabins because they have a disability, PVOs have to ask persons seeking to 

reserve such a cabin whether they have a disability that requires use of the accessibility facilities 

provided in the cabin. In addition, PVOs may require a written attestation from the passenger 

that her or she needs the accessible features provided in the cabin. These provisions are modeled 

on an approach that is sometimes used concerning reserving accessible seating sports stadiums. 

PVOs must also investigate the potential misuse of accessible cabins and can take action against 

abusers (e.g., a PVO may deny transportation to a non-disabled individual who books an 

accessible cabin on the basis of a misrepresentation that the individual has a disability). 

The Department recognizes that some existing vessels may not have accessible cabins in 

all classes of service. PVOs, however, cannot properly impose costs on disabled passengers 

because vessels lack accessible cabins in some classes of service. If a passenger with a disability 

wants to travel in a less costly class of service, rather than a more expensive class, but the PVO 

has chosen to make adequate numbers of accessible cabins available only in more other 

expensive classes of service, the PVO must make accessible cabins available to passengers with 

disabilities at no more than the cost of the class of service the passenger requests. Under a 

nondiscrimination rule, disabled passengers, like all other passengers, should be able to purchase 

accommodations they can use at a price they are willing to pay. 

§39.41 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to travel with another person? 
29 

The Department regards requiring a passenger with a disability to travel with another 

person, just because that person has a disability, as discriminatory on its face. Such a 

requirement is not only an affront to the independence and dignity of the passenger, but may 

sometimes make travel cost-prohibitive. In the NPRM, the Department proposed allowing PVOs 

to require a personal or safety assistant in some circumstances. This proposal was based on a 

parallel section of the ACAA rule. However, in the specific situation of passenger vessel 

transportation (which differs from air travel in a number of important respects), the Department 

believes that allowing PVOs to require an assistant could lead to abuse, and is not likely to be 

necessary in any event. The rule clearly states that crew members are not required to assist 

passengers with personal functions like eating, dressing, or toileting. Passengers who need 

assistance with these functions will therefore be aware that they cannot expect crew members to 

perform these functions and, consequently, will choose to travel with a companion if they need 

to. Vessel personnel are likewise trained to perform safety functions for all passengers. 

One commenter asked if the PVO is allowed to require a personal caretaker for each 

disabled person where a group of passengers with a disability intend to bring only one caretaker 

for the group. Given that the rule does not permit requirements to travel with an attendant at all, 

the PVO could not impose such a requirement. Another commenter stated that this provision of 

the rule places all responsibility for care on the PVO regardless of the credibility of the 

passenger's claim of independence. Again, vessel personnel do not have personal care 

obligations with respect to passengers with disabilities. We do not believe that a passenger with 

a disability who cannot eat without assistance is likely to embark on a lengthy voyage without 

someone to help with eating. 
30 

39.43 May PVOs impose special charges on passengers with a disability for providing 

services required by this rule? 

Price discrimination is forbidden. PVOs may not charge higher fares to passengers with 

disabilities than to other passengers. PVOs cannot impose surcharges on passengers with 

disabilities, or any sort of extra or special charges for facilities, equipment, accommodations, or 

services that must be provided to passengers because they have a disability. This prohibition 

would apply not only to formal charges made by the PVO itself, but to informal charges that 

PVO personnel might seek to impose or pressure passengers with a disability to pay. For 

example, if a vessel cannot be boarded by a wheelchair user without assistance (e.g., because the 

boarding ramp slope is too steep), it would not be appropriate for vessel personnel who provide 

boarding assistance to ask, pressure, or imply that the wheelchair users should provide a tip for 

the assistance. 

One of the important implications of the prohibition on price discrimination concerns 

situations in which an accommodation for a person with a disability is available only in a more 

expensive type or class of service than the passenger requests. The most important application of 

this principle concerns reservations for accessible cabins, which are governed by section 39.39. 

However, the same principle would apply to other services or accommodations on board some 

ships as well. The only comment regarding this section stated that passengers requiring an 

accessible cabin should be provided the same pricing options available to passengers who do not 

require an accessible cabin. This section as written ensures this to be the case. 

39.45 May PVOs impose restrictions on passengers with a disability that they do not 

impose on other passengers? 
31 

39.47 May PVOs require passengers with a disability to sign waivers or releases? 

These related sections (i.e., sections 39.45 and 39.47) would forbid restrictions on 

passengers with a disability that are not imposed on other passengers, including requirements to 

sign waivers or releases either for themselves or their assistive devices. The kinds of restrictions 

these sections address ai"e restrictions created by PVO policy. The Department is aware that, 

particularly pending the adoption of passenger vessel physical accessibility standards, portions of 

existing vessels may well be inaccessible to some passengers with a disability. Inaccessibility of 

this kind would not violate these sections, but an administrative rule declaring certain portions of 

a vessel off limits to a passenger with a disability would, if that rule did not apply equally to all 

passengers. Likewise, waivers of liability or releases not required of all passengers cannot be 

required of passengers with a disability (including, but not limited to, waivers or releases 

concerning mobility devices). 

39.51 What is the general requirement for PVOs' provision of auxiliary aids and services 

to passengers? 

This section requires PVOs to effectively communicate with passengers with disabilities, 

through the use of auxiliary aids or services where needed. This obligation includes effectively 

conveying infonnation so that both the passenger and the PVO can be understood and understand 

what is being communicated. The language of the final rule distinguishes between the somewhat 

different obligations of public and private entities with regard to the provision of auxiliary aids 

and services, and states the fundamental alteration and undue burden exception to these 

requirements. PVOs, not individuals with disabilities, have the responsibility to provide needed 

auxiliary aids and services. 
32 

"Undue burden" is one of the fundamental concepts in disability law, applying in a 

variety of contexts. The basic definition of what constitutes an undue burden is stated in the 

Department of Justice Title III rule, 28 CFR 36.104, as being something that involves significant 

difficulty or expense. In determining whether an action would result in an undue burden, the 

factors that the DOJ definition lists, adapted to the passenger vessel context, include 

(1) The nature and cost of the action needed to comply with Part 39 requirements; 

(2) The overall financial resources of the PVO involved, the number of persons employed 

by the PVO; the effect on expenses and resources; legitimate safety requirements that are 

necessary for safe operation of the vessel; or the impact otherwise of the action upon the 

operation of vessel; 

(3) The geographic separateness, and the administrative or fiscal relationship of PVO in 

question to any parent corporation or entity; 

(4) If applicable, the overall financial resources of any parent corporation or entity; the 

overall size of the parent corporation or entity with respect to the number of its 

employees; the number, type, and location of its facilities; and 

(5) If applicable, the type of operation or operations of any parent corporation or entity, 

including the composition, structure, and functions of the workforce of the parent 

corporation or entity. 
33 

DOJ provides further information about its application of the concept in the preamble to its Title 

111 regulation (discussion of 28 CFR 36.303(f), see www.ada.gov/reg3a.html). 

It must be emphasized that because something creates some degree of cost and difficulty, 

it is not necessarily an undue burden. There are "due burdens," costs and difficulties that must 

be borne in order to afford nondiscriminatory service to individuals with disabilities. As the 

factors in the DOJ definition indicate, what may be an undue burden for a small entity (e.g., 

because it would "break the bank" for that entity, making profitable operation impossible) may 

be a "due burden" that would be "small change" to a larger entity. Requiring an extensive and 

very expensive service to meet a minor, transitory need might be undue because it is 

disproportionate. "Undue burden" determinations inevitably involve the exercise of informed 

judgment about the facts of a given situation, but the bar is intended to be high: the concept is 

not intended to provide a free pass to entities to avoid nondiscrimination obligations. It should 

be emphasized, in the context of auxiliary aids and services, that even if one particular auxiliary 

aid of service creates an undue burden, the PVO retains an obligation to provide effective 

communication through use of another auxiliary aid or service that is not unduly burdensome. 

One commenter said that, in order for a PVO to effectively communicate with 

individuals with hearing and visual impairments, the PVO should install advanced technology 

for videophones and instant messaging on its vessel. The Department believes it would be 

premature, as well as outside the scope of the notice for this rulemaking, to require a particular 

technology or vessel communication system at this time, but this is an issue that could be 

addressed as part of the future accessibility standard rulemaking. 
34 

39.53 What information must PVOs provide to passengers with a disability? 

The Department recognizes that some existing vessels may not be able to be made 

accessible to people with mobility impairments and that some ports (e.g., some foreign ports at 

which a cruise ship calls) may not be usable by persons with some disabilities. This section 

requires PVOs to inform people with disabilities, accurately and in detail, about what they can 

expect. 

Such information includes: (1) any limitations of the usability of the vessel or portions of 

the vessel by people with mobility impairments; (2) any limitations on the accessibility of 

boarding and disembarking at ports at which the vessel will call (e.g., because of the use of 

inaccessible lighters or tenders as the means of coming to or from the vessel); (3) any limitations 

on the accessibility of services or tours ancillary to the transportation provided by the vessel 

concerning which the PVO makes arrangements available to passengers; (4) limitations on the 

ability of passengers to take a service animal off the vessel at a foreign port (e.g., because of 

quarantine regulations); and (5) the particular auxiliary aids or services available to passengers 

with hearing or vision impairments for each of the various on-board activities and services that 

require advance notice in order to be made available. With this information, potential passengers 

with a disability can make an informed choice about whether seeking transportation on a 

particular vessel is worth their while. 

One commenter suggested that providing information about boarding and disembarking 

only to those passengers that self-identify as having a disability may cause confusion and bad 

feelings among those passengers with disabilities that did not self-identify. Moreover, the 

commenter recommended making such information available in all promotional materials 

including pre-boarding information, website, advertisements, the Daily Program, and in all 
35 

brochures. The Department believes that there is merit in providing such information generally 

to all passengers. However, if a PVO provides this information to people who ask for it in order 

to accommodate a disability, that is sufficient to meet the PVO's obligation under the rule. 

39.55 Must information and reservation services of PVOs be accessible to individuals with 

hearing or vision impairments? 

This section applies to information and reservation services made available to consumers 

in the United States, regardless of the nationality of a PVO or where the personnel or equipment 

providing the services are themselves based. If a PVO provides telephone reservation or 

information service to the public, the PVO must make this service available to individuals who 

are deaf or hard-of-hearing through use of a text telephone (TTY) or a TTY relay service (TRS). 

In response to comments received on this section, the Department will not require each PVO to 

have access to a text telephone, so long as they can receive calls through a text telephone relay 

service. 

One commenter stated that this provision should include a web accessibility requirement 

following the World Wide Web Consortium standards. The Department is aware that web 

accessibility is an important issue for people with disabilities, and we will address this subject 

further during the next phase of passenger vessel rulemaking. 

Another commenter recommended that individuals such as travel agents and boat crew 

who interact with consumers should receive training on what disability access is available. In 

reference to travel agents, the Department believes this is outside the scope of this rulemaking. 

As for employees, comments from PVOs asserted that crews are already trained to accommodate 
36 

passengers with disabilities. The Department may further consider training requirements for 

crews during the development of the next phase of the passenger vessel rulemaking. 

39.57 Must PVOs make copies of this rule available to passengers? 

PVOs must maintain a current copy of the text of this rule on each vessel and in every 

terminal which they serve. The copy may be a paper copy or a digital copy so long as it can be 

easily referenced by PVO employees and by passengers upon their request. Commenters 

supported this section as written. Private sector PVOs who do not receive Federal financial 

assistance are not required to make a copy of the rule available in languages other than English. 

However, any PVOs that do receive Federal financial assistance should be aware of their 

obligations concerning persons with lower English proficiency under Title VI of the Civil Rights 

Act of 1964, as amended, and applicable Executive Orders and regulations. As part of a PVO's 

obligation to communicate effectively, a PVO must make copies available in accessible fomats 

on request, subject to the fundamental alteration provisions of section 39.51 (c). If provision of 

the information is not feasible in one accessible format, because it would involve a fundamental 

alteration, then another accessible format would have to be made available. 

39.61 What requirements must PVOs meet concerning the accessibility of terminals and 

other landside facilities? 

This section applies to landside facilities that the PVO owns, leases, or controls in the 

U.S. It requires compliance with the same ADA obligations as apply to other types of 

transportation facilities under 49 CFR Part 37. 
37 

If the PVO does not own, lease, or control a facility, then the requirements of this section 

do not apply to it (there may well be situations in which a public entity or another private entity 

would own or control the facility, in which case the other entity would have its own ADA and/or 

section 504 obligations). In the case of a foreign facility, where ADA or section 504 rules 

would not apply in their own right, facility accessibility would then become a matter of the law 

of the country in which the facility is located. Commenters recommended that this section 

should be applied to facilities both inside and outside of the VS. However, as noted in the 

discussion of the definition of "facility," the Department can apply this regulation only to 

facilities located in the U.S, since the ADA does not apply to landside facilities in foreign 

territory. 

The rule makes a familiar three-part breakdown of accessibility responsibilities for 

covered facilities, similar to that found in DOT's existing ADA regulations (see 49 CFR Part 37, 

subpart C). New facilities must meet accessibility standards from the beginning. In the case of 

an alteration, the altered portion of the existing facility has to be brought up to die same 

accessibility standards applicable to new facilities. For existing facilities not otherwise being 

altered, the PVO has to ensure that the facility is able to be used by a passenger with a disability 

to access the PVO's vessel. This could be achieved through a variety of means. As under other 

applications of the ADA, requirements for public sector entities under Title II and private sector 

entities under Title III differ somewhat with respect to existing facilities (i.e., program 

accessibility vs. readily achievable barrier removal). These differences are stated in paragraph 

(c) of this section. 

We note that there may be many situations in which a PVO shares accessibility 

responsibilities with another party. For example, a PVO may lease a portion of a port facility 
38 

that is owned by a private or public entity. The PVO has responsibilities under this Part; the 

other entity may have responsibilities in its own right under Title II or III or the ADA and under 

section 504. In these cases, it would be up to the parties involved to allocate the responsibilities 

among themselves, so that they jointly ensure that accessibility requirements are met for the 

facility. Where the PVO does not own, lease, or control a facility, the PVO has no responsibility 

for making accessibility changes under this rule. 

One commenter recommended that facilities used by small vessels should be exempt 

from this section. The Department again finds no basis for limiting the applicability of this 

provision based on vessel size. A landside facility operated by a small vessel PVO has no 

different status from one operated by a large PVO for ADA or section 504 purposes. 

39.63 What modifications and auxiliary aids and services are required at terminals and 

other landside facilities for individuals with hearing or vision impairments? 

This section specifies that effective communication that has to be provided at terminals 

and other landside facilities to ensure that persons with sensory impairments will be able to 

request and receive the information otherwise available to the public, concerning such subjects as 

ticketing, fares, and schedules. A few commenters said that PVOs should not have to make 

changes to facilities that the PVO does not own or operate. Again, where the PVO does not own, 

lease, or control a facility, the PVO has no responsibility for making accessibility changes to the 

facility under this rule. Moreover, effective communication can be achieved through means, like 

auxiliary aids and services, that would not require modifications to facilities where a PVO is not 

able to make changes to the facility. 
39 

The Department proposed a one-year phase-in for both existing and new facilities in 

order to allow PVOs to explore and implement the best communications options for their 

customers and business operations. One commenter expressed that there should not be a phase-in 

period for this provision and that it should become effective immediately due to current 

technology and existing ADA requirements. The Department agrees, and in this final rule, 

makes this provision effective when the rule goes into effect. 

Subpart E - Accessibility of Vessels 

This subpart is reserved. It is a place-holder for the subsequent inclusion of passenger 

vessel physical accessibility standards based on future Access Board guidelines. We emphasize 

that this rule does not create standards for the design and construction of vessels and does not 

impose requirements to alter existing vessels for the purpose of accessibility. PVOs remain 

obligated, of course, to meet existing ADA requirements for readily achievable barrier removal 

(Title III) or program accessibility (Title II). 

39.81 What assistance must PVOs provide to passengers with a disability in getting to and 

from a passenger vessel? 

This section does not deal with boarding a vessel, as such. Rather, it deals with how 

people get to the point of boarding a vessel, in terms of land transfers (e.g., a bus between the 

airport and the terminal) and in actually moving through the terminal and boarding process up to 

the point of getting onto the vessel, where the PVO or a contractor to the PVO provides their 

services. PVOs are responsible for making sure that these services are accessible to people with 

disabilities. Representatives of the cruise line industry commented that requiring cruise lines to 
40 

ensure the accessibility of services provided by third-party independent contractors, such as 

transportation to or from the cruise ship, would be unreasonable and a denial of due process. 

This rule does not impose such an obligation if the PVO and the service provider, such as a taxi 

company, have no contractual relationship. This provision will not have extraterritorial 

application and will apply only with respect to terminals located in the U.S. 

39.83 What are PVOs' obligations for assisting passengers with a disability in getting on 

and off a passenger vessel? 

The optimal solution for boarding a vessel involves a passenger with a disability being 

able to board independently (e.g., via a level-entry ramp). The Department realizes that there 

will be many situations where this optimal solution does not exist. In these situations, the PVO 

is responsible for providing assistance that enables a passenger with a disability to get on or off 

the vessel. As noted above, this rule does not require vessel personnel to do the physically 

impossible with respect to providing boarding assistance. One commenter asked how a PVO is 

to decide between a passenger who is "not able to get on or off a passenger vessel without 

assistance" and one who can "readily get on or off a passenger vessel without assistance." In 

such a situation the PVO should ask the passenger whether he/she wants or needs assistance. 

We note that a number of comments represented that these services are already being 

provided in many instances, so we believe it is fair to suggest that this requirement would not 

create significant added burdens for PVOs. We also note that this provision pertains to normal 

boarding and disembarkation from a vessel. Obviously, in the case of an "abandon ship" or other 

emergency situation, crew should use any means necessary to ensure that all passengers can 

safely evacuate. 
41 

The Department appreciates the comments received regarding accessible boarding 

systems and will use them to inform a future rulemaking in this area when the Access Board has 

provided appropriate standards on which a regulation can be based. 

39.85 What services must PVOs provide to passengers with a disability on board a 

passenger vessel? 

39.87 What services are PVOs not required to provide to passengers with a disability on 

board a passenger vessel? 

These sections (i.e., sections 39.85 and 39.87) concern services that PVOs must provide 

or, alternatively, do not need to provide to passengers with a disability. The services a PVO 

must provide include movement about the vessel, but only with respect to portions of the vessel 

that are not accessible to passengers with a disability acting independently. To the extent that a 

PVO makes accessibility improvements to a vessel, the PVO can probably reduce its obligation 

to provide this service. When food is provided to passengers, PVO personnel must help 

passengers with a disability to a limited degree, including opening packages and identifying 

food, or explaining choices. Assistance in actual eating or other personal functions (e.g., 

toileting or provision of medical equipment or supplies or assistive devices, beyond what is 

provided to all passengers) is not required. Effective communication of all on-board information 

is required. 

Several commenters expressed that PVOs should be required to provide closed 

captioning on televisions, interpreters aboard the vessel (in theatres or other "public" rooms 

aboard the vessel), and wheelchairs for use by passengers. In this rulemaking, the Department is 

not mandating the use of any specific means of communication, though televisions, if provided 
42 

for passengers, must have closed captioning. Otherwise, PVOs' obligation is to provide effective 

communication, through the use of auxiliary aids and services as appropriate for Title II or 111 

entities, as the case may be. As for wheelchairs or other assistive devices, the Department 

believes this is the responsibility of the passenger and not the PVO, except to the extent that the 

PVO would need a wheeled mobility assistive device to provide boarding assistance to an 

individual who does not normally use such a device but could not board the vessel without one 

(e.g., a semi-ambulatory person who can walk on a level surface but would have difficulty with a 

steep boarding ramp). 

One commenter also expressed that sign language interpreters should be provided on 

vessels traveling inside and outside of the U.S. Use of sign language interpreters is one type of 

auxiliary aids and services, which may be provided subject to the fundamental alteration 

provisions of section 39.51(c). 

39.89 What requirements apply to on-board safety brieHngs, information, and drills? 

This section specifies that safety-related information must be communicated effectively 

to passengers with disabilities. This would include the use of auxiliary aids and services, where 

needed. Safety videos would have to be captioned or have an interpreter inset, in order to make 

the information available to persons with impaired hearing. Providing safety information in this 

way is a key component of effective communication of this material to individuals who are deaf 

or who have hearing impairments. Passengers with disabilities must be enabled to participate in 

evacuation and other safety drills, and information about evacuation and safety procedures would 

have to be kept in locations that passengers with disabilities can access and use. Several 
43 

commenters supported requiring PVOs to utilize flashing lights to warn passengers with hearing 

disabilities of emergencies. This issue will be addressed by the Access Board. 

39.91 Must PVOs permit passengers with a disability to travel with service animals? 

Many persons with disabilities rely on service animals to travel and conduct daily 

functions. This section specifies that PVOs would be required to permit service animals to 

accompany a passenger with a disability on board a vessel. 

Foreign countries may limit entry of service animals. This should not affect the carriage 

of service animals on the vessel, however, since there is no requirement that the animal leave the 

ship. Limitations on the ability of such an animal to leave the ship at a foreign port would be 

included in the information that a cruise ship would provide to potential customers inquiring 

about an upcoming cruise. Consistent with foreign port requirements, the PVO could insist that 

the animal not disembark at a port where doing so is not permitted. The user could leave the 

vessel even if the animal had to remain on board, however. PVOs and owners would have to 

work together to ensure that the animal was properly cared for in the owner's absence (e.g., in 

the case of a lengthy excursion away from the vessel). 

Several commenters said that PVOs should permit passengers with disabilities to bring 

their own food and supplies for service animals without any charge and provide refrigerators for 

proper storage of such food. PVO commenters said that PVOs should not be required to provide 

food for the animal, stating that there should be no charges for passengers using their own animal 

food and that most cruise lines currently follow this practice. Under the final rule, PVOs will not 

be required to provide food for service animals, but passengers may bring a reasonable quantity 

of their own food aboard the vessel at no additional charge. PVOs must provide refrigeration 
44 

space for the animal food. This requirement applies only to cruise ships or other vessels 

providing overnight accommodations. There is no need for refrigeration on short-voyage ferries 

or water taxis. 

We view a limitation on the number of service animals that can be brought on a given 

voyage as tantamount to a number limit on passengers with a disability (i.e., as a number limit), 

which this rule prohibits. It is not evident that having a number of such animals on board a ship 

at a given time would be disruptive to ship operations, and vague concerns about adverse effects 

on the quality of the cruise experience for other passengers do not trump the nondiscrimination 

imperative of the ADA. 

While this rule does not require it, the Department believes that it is a good idea to permit 

not only service animals, per se, but also emotional support animals (ESA) to accompany 

passengers with disabilities who use them. This can be beneficial to individuals who genuinely 

need the assistance of such an animal to enjoy fully travel and services aboard a vessel. We refer 

PVOs and passengers with disabilities to applicable provisions of the Department's Air Carrier 

Access Act regulations and appendices (14 CFR Part 382) for suggestions on how and in what 

circumstances it is appropriate to accommodate people using ESAs. 

Commenters raised questions about animal relief areas aboard the vessel. Since this goes 

the design or construction of physical features of the a vessel, it is better addressed in the next 

rulemaking phase concerning accessibility standards. 

39.93 What wheelchairs and other assistive devices may passengers with a disability bring 

onto a passenger vessel? 

39.95 May PVOs limit their liability for the loss of or damage to wheelchairs and other 
45 

assistive devices? 

These sections (i.e., sections 39.93 and 39.95) say simply that passengers should be 

permitted to bring and use their own wheelchairs and other assistive devices on board a vessel. 

The cruise line industry stated that it does not support the use of mobility devices that are twowheeled and allow an individual to "ride" the device. Another commenter expressed that the 

references to mobility aids and other assistive devices do not conform to the current standard 

found in 49 CFR Part 37. The Department is currently reviewing and may revise its Part 37 

treatment of mobility aids. 

With respect to mobility aids, the final rule is modeled on an approach supported by the 

Department of Justice. That is, manual and power wheelchairs and other manual mobility aids 

must be accommodated in any area open to pedestrian use. This requirement is intended to be 

implemented consistent with other provisions of the rule (e.g., concerning existing facility 

accessibility, weight and balance concerns), which may in occasional situations limit the ability 

especially of larger power wheelchairs to be accommodated. 

With respect to other powered mobility devices (e.g., two-wheeled devices, such as 

Segways, designed or adapted for use by a person with a disability to accommodate that 

disability), PVOs would be required to make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or 

procedures to allow such devices to be used by individuals with mobility disabilities, unless 

doing so would be inconsistent with legitimate safety requirements. The Department expects 

that, in most cases, such devices would be permitted to be used. 

The Department strongly emphasizes that any such safety requirements cannot be 

pretextural and must be based on actual, demonstrable, risks and not on not mere speculation, 

stereotypes, or generalizations either about people with disabilities or their mobility devices. 
46 

While the rule does not include a recordkeeping requirement concerning such safety 

requirements, a PVO subject to a complaint about arbitrarily excluding a mobility device would 

doubtless be asked to document the factual justification for any policy limiting passengers' 

devices. 

These requirements apply to PVOs covered by both Title II and Title III of the ADA. In 

addition, Title II (i.e., public sector) entities would have to minimize any restrictions placed on 

use of other powered mobility devices and provide a written explanation to the user, on request, 

of any exclusion or restriction of his or her device. This latter provision is found in the Title II 

enforcement provision of this regulation (section 36.109). 

Once a device is on board, if the PVO is responsible for its loss or damage, the PVO must 

compensate the owner, at the level of the original purchase price of the device. One commenter 

stated that the appropriate cost for the loss of damaged assistive devices should be the current 

replacement cost for the device rather than the original purchase price. The Department is 

utilizing the original purchase price. This is the measure of the level of compensation found 

within the Department's ACAA rule, and we believe it will most appropriately compensate the 

owner for the loss of or damage to the device. 

39.101 What are the requirements for providing Complaints Resolution Officials? 

§39.103 What actions do CROs take on complaints? 

The Complaints Resolution Official (CRO) is the PVO's expert in disability matters, 

knowledgeable about both the Department's regulations and the PVO's procedures, and is able to 

assist passengers with disabilities and other PVO persormel in resolving issues. The CRO model 

should adapt very well to passenger vessels, to solve problems at the PVO level before they 
47 

become matters for complaints to the DOT or DOJ. 

A commenter expressed that it may be impractical and financially burdensome to have a 

CRO onboard each vessel. The Department does not mandate that CRO duties necessarily be 

full-time for a given employee, and CRO functions can be performed as collateral duties of 

existing personnel. PVOs could, for example, use a number of different vessel and landside 

personnel as CROs, who might perform these functions in addition to their other duties. We 

expect that PVOs will have varying degrees of formality in their CRO programs; however, no 

matter whether in a facility or on a vessel, all employees should be able to direct a passenger to 

the CRO. 

PVOs are likely to find it necessary to ensure that not only CROs, but also other 

personnel who interact with passengers, are sufficiently knowledgeable regarding the 

requirements of these rules and proficient in performing tasks related to passengers with 

disabilities. (PVO commenters asserted that their personnel are already trained to deal properly 

with customers, including passengers with disabilities.) If they are not, it is likely that mistakes 

will be made that would potentially lead to noncompliance. Some commenters recommended 

the adoption of training standards or requirements in this rule. However, the Department is not 

instituting any formal training requirement at this time and will leave it to PVOs to decide how 

best to prepare their CROs, along with the remainder of their entire staff, to meet the 

responsibilities that PVOs have under this Part. If, over time, the Department becomes aware of 

implementation or compliance difficulties that appear to stem from a lack of training, the 

Department can revisit this issue. 

One commenter expressed that certifying the training or drafting a training curriculum 

would be difficult and unnecessary. This rule does not institute a certification requirement. 
48 

Another commenter expressed that information about CROs should be posted on the PVO's 

website so that passengers have access to the information. We agree that sources of various 

information, including websites, should include information on the function of CROs and how to 

contact them, but we are not requiring this as part of this rule. 

39.105 How must PVOs respond to written complaints? 

39.107 Where may passengers obtain assistance with matters covered by this regulation? 

The required responses to complaints under this section by the PVO may be in either 

written or email form. At this time, the Department is not instituting a reporting requirement for 

complaints received by PVOs regarding violations of this rule. Upon analysis of operations 

under this rule, the Department may propose a reporting requirement at a later date. It should be 

noted that these sections concern the interaction between PVOs and passengers; these are not 

procedures for Federal agency responses to complaints made to DOT or DOJ. For example, DOJ 

does not follow these procedures when it receives a complaint concerning a Title III PVO. 

One commenter suggested that deadlines be put into place to ensure that complaints do 

not languish and that a timely resolution is received. The commenter also suggested that there 

should be an outside organization for aggrieved passengers to take complaints to if they are not 

satisfied with the CRO resolution. In so far as deadlines are concerned, these sections, as 

written, provide deadlines for filing and responding to complaints. In reference to appeals of a 

PVO's decision, the complainant has the ability to pursue DOT or DOJ enforcement action, for 

Title II or Title III entities, respectively. The PVO must notify the complainant of this right. 

39.109 What enforcement actions may be taken under this Part? 
49 

One important difference between the ACAA and the ADA is that, under the former, the 

Department has its own civil penalty enforcement authority and procedures. The Department 

does not have its own civil penalty authority under Titles II and III of the ADA, though the 

Department can conduct investigations and compliance reviews, collect data, find facts, come to 

conclusions, and refer matters to the Department of Justice for further action under section 504 

and Title II. The Departmental Office of Civil Rights (DOCR) will be the central point for 

receiving such complaints. DOJ has the jurisdiction to conduct investigations and take 

enforcement action under Title III, which can lead to the imposition of damages and civil 

penalties. 

Some PVOs receive Federal financial assistance, such as ferry operators who receive 

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding. Complaints concerning violations of this Part by 

FT A-assisted ferry operators could be made to the FTA under the Department's ADA and 

section 504 rules, and FTA could take enforcement action as provided in those rules. No 

comments were received on this section and it is adopted as written. 

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS: This rule is a final rule with a request for comments limited to 

three issues. All provisions will go into effect on [insert date 120 days from date of publication 

in the Federal Register] With respect to the three issues on which the Department is seeking 

further comment, the Department intends, before the effective date of the rule, to publish either 

an amended final rule or a notice explaining why no further changes are being made. 

The first issue concerns use by passengers with disabilities of emotional support animals. 

Unlike service animals, emotional support animals are not trained to perform specific physical 

tasks, but by their presence assist individuals with mental health-related disabilities in coping 
50 

with the effects of their disabilities. For example, an emotional support animal may assist an 

individual with a severe anxiety disorder in dealing with the stresses of travel. In the absence of 

this assistance from the animal, the individual could find travel very difficult or impossible. 

As noted in the preamble discussion of section 39.91, this rule does not require PVOs to 

provide access to emotional support animals. In another disability discrimination context, under 

the Air Carrier Access Act, the Department requires air carriers to permit emotional support 

animals to travel with their users. The Department seeks comment on whether PVOs should be 

required to allow access for individuals with disabilities and their emotional support animals. If 

PVOs are required to do so, what, if any, safeguards against abuse (e.g., passengers attempting to 

pass off their pets as emotional support animals) should be included? 

The service animal provisions as currently written in this rule are consistent with DOJ's 

proposed rules amending Title II and Title III. Should DOT rules be identical to DOJ rules in this 

with respect to emotional support animals (i.e., such that the use of emotional support animals is 

treated the same way on passenger vessels as it is in other public accommodations covered by 

DOJ rules, like as parks, restaurants, dorms, lodging, hospitals, etc.)? Alternatively, should 

DOT have discretion to have different provisions specific to vessels? 

The second issue concerns the treatment of mobility aids. Section 39.93 divides mobility 

devices into two categories: wheelchairs and other power-driven mobility devices. Wheelchairs 

have a specific definition in section 39.3, including "three or four-wheeled devices, usable 

indoors, designed for and used by individuals with mobility impairments, whether operated 

manually or powered." Under section 39.93, PVOs must permit wheelchairs to be used in any 

area open to pedestrian use, though, as noted in the preamble discussion of section 39.25, there 

could be circumstances in which a particular wheelchair does not fit a particular space. 
51 

PVOs can limit the use of other power-driven mobility aids by applying a series of 

factors set forth in paragraph 39.93 (b). The application of these factors could give PVOs greater 

discretion to permit or refuse use of devices that did not meet the definition of "wheelchair," 

(e.g., devices that otherwise look like traditional wheelchairs but have six wheels, two-wheeled 

devices like Segways) than they have with respect to wheelchairs. The Department seeks 

comment two sets of questions related to the handling of mobility aids. 

First, should a PVO have to demonstrate (i.e., bear a burden of proof) that it has a sound 

basis for excluding or restricting a passenger's other power-driven mobility aid? Should there 

be any basis other than safety (i.e., inconsistency with a legitimate safety requirement) for a 

decision to exclude or limit a device? Should it be made clear that a device, even if not 

originally designed for use by individuals with disabilities, should be accepted on board a vessel 

if it is adapted for use by a passenger with a disability, again subject to legitimate safety 

requirements? 

Second, should the entire approach to mobility aids be rethought? For example, it may 

not be necessary to distinguish between categories of mobility aids at all. One commenter to the 

NPRM suggested adopting the term "wheeled mobility assistive device" be used in place of other 

terms. In this concept, if a wheeled mobility assistive device, however it is designed, can be 

accommodated on board a vessel, consistent with legitimate safety requirements, it would have 

to be accepted by the PVO, regardless of whether it was a "wheelchair," per se. The Department 

seeks comment on this approach and on whether, if adopted, it should include any categorical 

exceptions (e.g., gasoline engine-powered devices). For information, the Department refers 

interested persons to the Department's September 2005 interpretation of its existing ADA 
52 

regulation (49 CFR Part 37) concerning acceptance of mobility aids 

[www.fta.dot.gov/civilrights/ada/civil_rights_3893.html]. 

Similar to the emotional support animal issue earlier, the mobility aid provisions as 

currently written in this rule are consistent with DOJ's proposed rules amending Title II and Title 

III. Should DOT rules be identical to DOJ rules in this with respect to mobility aids (i.e., such 

that the use of mobility aids is treated the same way on passenger vessels as it is in other public 

accommodations covered by DOJ rules, like as parks, restaurants, dorms, lodging, hospitals, 

etc.)? Alternatively, should DOT have discretion to have different provisions specific to 

vessels? 

The third issue the Department seeks comment on concerns the overall relationship 

between DOJ and DOT ADA rules. DOJ currently has draft final rules revising its Title II and 

Title III DOT rules under review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). It is 

possible that, as part of the interagency review process led by OMB, provisions in the DOJ rules 

(e.g., concerning the definition of auxiliary aids and services and the application of that 

definition) might change in a way that create a difference between the language of Part 39 and 

the language of the forthcoming DOJ rules. In such a situation, should DOT amend Part 39 to be 

consistent with the new DOJ language? The purpose of doing so would be to avoid confusion or 

any burden placed on people with disabilities or PVOs that might arise if different definitions or 

substantive provisions of different rules applied in the specific context of passenger vessel 

operations, as distinct from other aspects of public accommodations or public sector facilities 

and activities covered by, DOJ rules. 
53 

REGULATORY ANALYSES AND NOTICES 

Executive Order 12866 and DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures 

This is a significant rule under Executive Order 12866 and DOT Regulatory Policies and 

Procedures purposes. This is because the rule address issues of considerable policy interest and 

creates requirements for entities that have not previously been subject to regulation. However, 

the rule does not impose significant costs. The main thrust of the rule is to prohibit PVOs from 

taking actions — such as requiring attendants, denying transportation, limiting access for service 

animals, or imposing special charges - that create barriers to travel by persons with disabilities. 

There is little, if any, cost to a PVO from avoiding taking discrimmatory actions. According to 

comments received at both the ANPRM and NPRM stages, many PVOs already provide 

boarding assistance and other services to passengers with disabilities, so it is reasonable to 

assume that the passenger assistance provisions of this rule will not have significant incremental 

costs. This rule does not impose a training requirement or reporting requirements. 

In the section of the preamble responding to the Regulatory Flexibility Act, the 

Department will discuss the cost impacts, or lack of same, from some specific sections of the 

rule. 

Some commenters did express concern about potential costs of the NPRM. These 

comments largely were the result of commenters mistakenly believing that the NPRM proposed 

requiring PVOs to physically alter vessels, especially small vessels. In fact, the NPRM did not 

propose, and the final rule does not require, alterations to vessels for the purpose of achieving 

accessibility. The rule takes vessels as they are and focuses on the policies and practices of 

PVOs with respect to the use of the vessels by passengers with disabilities. 
54 

In a future rulemaking, the Department anticipates proposing, in conjunction v/ith the 

Access Board, design and construction standards for vessels. These standards will affect new 

vessels and alterations to existing vessels. This future rulemaking is expected to involve a more 

detailed regulatory evaluation with respect to the costs and benefits of its proposals. 

In the passenger vessel context, as in other areas, the purpose of the ADA is to ensure 

nondiscrimination on the basis of disability and accessibility of travel on vessels for people with 

disabilities. Consequently, the most important benefits of this rule are die largely nonquantifiable benefits of increased access and mobility for passengers with disabilities. Policies 

required by this rule will eliminate most practices of PVOs that prevent or inhibit travel by 

persons with disabilities. The benefits that will accrue from removal of these barriers cannot be 

quantified, but could well include increased employment, business, recreational, and educational 

opportunities for travelers with disabilities, and quality of life enhancements associated with 

travel opportunities both within the U.S. and to foreign points. 

Many persons with mobility impairments will be able to use passenger vessel services for 

the first time, and take advantage of an expanded range of travel opportunities. Even persons 

with disabilities who do not immediately choose to use a passenger vessel will know that barriers 

to such travel have been removed, and there is a psychological benefit to knowing one can travel 

if one wishes (what economists sometimes refer to as the "option value" of a regulatory 

provision). 

Other beneficiaries of this rule include the travel companions, family, and friends of 

passengers with disabilities, since persons with disabilities would have greater and more varied 

travel opportunities. In addition, to the extent that changes in PVO practice make use of vessels 

easier for everyone, there will be indirect benefits for the general traveling public. 
55 

Because making passenger vessel transportation and services more readily available to 

passengers with disabilities and others traveling with them is likely to increase overall usage of 

vessels to some degree, it is likely that there will be some economic benefits to PVOs from 

compliance with the rule, though the Department does not have information allowing us to 

quantify these potential benefits. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act 

In considering this rule from the point of view of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, we 

emphasize two main points. First, for the reasons discussed above, we believe strongly that the 

overall costs of the rule to any entities - large or small - will be very low. The rule will not 

create significant economic impacts on anyone. In particular, the Department here repeats what 

it has said throughout the rulemaking: the rule does not impose design and construction 

standards that will require vessel operators, large or small, to alter their vessels. 

Second, compared to the NPRM, the number of small entities subject to the rule is greatly 

reduced. The final rule covers only private entities primarily engaged in the business of 

transportmg people, eliminating from coverage private entities not primarily engaged in the 

business of transporting people. The vast majority of small entities that the NPRM would have 

covered (e.g., fishing charter boats, sightseeing and dinner cruise boats, dive boats) are not 

subject to the final rule. Of the private entities primarily engaged in the business of transporting 

people that the rule does cover, most - such as cruise ships and public ferry systems - are not 

small entities. Some, such as smaller ferry or water taxi operations, may be small entities. 

While the number of small entities covered by the final rule is not ascertainable from the record 

of this rulemaking, the Department believes that it is highly unlikely to be substantial. 
56 

The Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy commented on the 

NPRM. One of the primary SBA comments concerned SBA's estimate that a very large number 

of small businesses would be covered by the rule. Given the change in the final rule to cover 

only private entities primarily engaged in the business of transporting people, SBA's estimate -

based almost entirely on private entities not primarily engaged in the business of transporting 

people - is no longer applicable. We recognize that there could also be some small public 

entities that are covered by the rule (e.g., a small municipality that operates a ferry or water taxi 

service), though the record of the rulemaking does not provide a basis for knowing whether this 

is the case or estimating how many there may be. Because the costs of the rule to any entities is 

minimal, there would not a significant cost to these Title II entities. 

SBA also pointed to certain sections of the rule that it thought could involve costs. With 

respect to section 39.3, SBA asked that the Department should make clear that there is no 

liability for discrimination based on the accessibility of existing vessels. As stated elsewhere, 

this rule does not impose any incremental obligation to alter existing vessels for the purpose of 

accessibility. PVOs, like other entities, remain subject to the existing ADA requirements to 

provide program accessibility (Title II) or to ensure readily achievable barrier removal (Title 111). 

SBA also suggested making compliance materials available regarding the rule's definitions, 

particularly if there are conflicting definitions between DOJ rules and the Air Carrier Access 

Act. Under this or any rule, no one is required to comply with a definition. Compliance is 

required only with substantive provisions of a rule. The final rule has harmonized DOT 

passenger vessel rule provisions with DOJ ADA rule provisions. 

With respect to section 39.13, SBA said the small business community was confused 

about the difference between this rule and forthcoming Access Board guidelines, and that the 
57 

effective date of the rule should be extended six months. The distinction is actually a very clear 

and simple one: this mle concerns the policies that PVOs apply to passengers with disabilities 

on their vessels and does not create design or construction standards for new or altered vessels. 

The forthcoming Access Board guidelines will create design and construction standards for new 

and altered larger vessels (e.g., those with a passenger capacity of over 150 passengers or over 

49 spaces for overnight accommodations), but will not address the kinds of policy issues that the 

current DOT rule addresses. The Department is making this rule effective 120 days from the 

date of publication, and we do not believe a longer lead time is needed to assist the relatively 

few remaining small PVOs covered by the rule in understanding this straightforward point. 

Through long experience, the Department has found it most helpful to issue guidance (e.g., 

questions and answers) after a regulation has gone into effect, when both we and the regulated 

parties have had time to determine what implementation and interpretation questions of general 

interest are valuable to address. 

Widi respect to sections 39.29 (39.27 in the NPRM) and 39.93, SBA asserted diat there 

was a paperwork burden, a recordkeeping requirement, and a training burden. Section 39.29 of 

the final rule in fact requires neither paperwork, nor recordkeeping, nor training. It simply 

directs vessel operators not to impose number limits, except where legitimate safety 

requirements (i.e., with regard to weight and balance) dictate otherwise. In most instances, given 

that the final rule focuses on larger vessels, this exception is unlikely to come into play. Section 

39.93 has been revised for greater consistency widi the Department of Justice's approach to 

mobility aid issues, and likewise does not include recordkeeping or training requirements. In one 

category of cases - denial of access to an "other powered mobility device" by a public entity, the 

entity would have to provide a written explanation on the passenger's request. Given that public 
58 

entities covered by the mle - mostly large public ferry systems - are not small entities, and that it 

is likely there would be few instances in which mobility devices would be denied passage, and 

fewer still in which the passenger asked for a written explanation, the Department believes that 

the cost and burden of this requirement would be very minor. 

With respect to the advance notice provisions of the rule (39.33 and 39.35 in the NPRM, 

39.35 and 39.37 of the final rule), SBA requested that the Department respond to the comment 

that operators of small vessels should be able to require advance notice for fewer than the 

proposed group of 10 or more disabled passengers traveling together. As noted above, most of 

the vessels to which this comment pertained are not covered by the final rule. Moreover, 

comments did not suggest a persuasive reason why, for example, a group of four or six 

wheelchair users should be burdened with an advance notice requirement simply because the size 

of the vessel or size of the business operating the vessel is smaller. The Department believes the 

10-person group provision is sensible, and it remains in the final rule. 

With respect to section 39.83, concerning assistance by vessel personnel in getting 

persons widi disabilities on and off the vessel, SBA asked the Department to provide estimates of 

the costs of providing such assistance, as a "new requirement." As SBA acknowledged, 

commenters to the NPRM said that their personnel commonly performed this function already. 

In analyzing the costs of a rule, the Department focuses on incremental costs, not assuming a 

baseline in which no one is performing something required by the rule. The information in the 

record suggests that the incremental costs of this provision of the rule would be low, and the 

record does not provide information on how many vessel operators (particularly the relatively 

few small PVOs that the final rule covers) currently decline to provide boarding assistance to 

passengers with disabilities. While the record therefore does not support a quantified estimate of 
59 

the incremental costs of this requirement to small entities, the Department is justified, based on 

the evidence of the record, for estimating that it would be very low. 

Concerning service animals, SBA suggested that there should be an exception to the rule 

that would allow very small vessels to deny passage for safety reasons. As noted above, the 

number of very small vessels covered by the rule is likely to be very small. Denial of access to a 

service animal is tantamount to denying transportation to its user. Consequently, the provisions 

of section 39.27, concerning exclusion of a passenger with disabilities in connection with 

legitimate safety requirements, would apply in a case where a PVO believed it should exclude a 

service animal for safety reasons. SBA also notes that smaller ferries and other small vessels 

might not have refrigerators on board to store food for service animals. There is no need to 

refrigerate animal food on the short trips typically run by small ferries or water taxis, so the issue 

would likely never arise. The need to store and refrigerate animal food would most likely arise 

on vessels that provide overnight accommodations, which typically are larger vessels. 

Widi respect to complaints resolution officers (CROs; sections 39.101 - 39.105) SBA 

requests an estimate of the costs of this requirement. As SBA concedes, there are no training 

requirements for CROs in the final rule, and many of the same personnel already receive 

customer relations and safety training. Consequently, the incremental cost of getting small 

entities' CROs to the point of proficiency is limited to the time to read and understand the rule. 

The rule is not excessively lengthy, with the regulatory text likely to amount to around 7-8 

Federal Register pages. It is not necessary for CROs to memorize the rule, only to become 

familiar enough with it to know what provisions to reference when a question or issue arises. It 

is fair to assume that this task would take an hour. Suppose there are 500 small PVOs covered 

by the rule (likely an overgenerous number). Then the total burden would be 500 work hours. 
60 

To make a cost estimate, one would multiply this number of hours by the average hourly wage of 

PVO personnel who would read the rule. If this average is $20/hour, then the total cost of the 

requirement for small PVOs would be $10,000. 

To estimate the cost and burden of having CROs working for small entities to provide 

responses to written complaints, it would be necessary to estimate how many such complaints 

there will be. The record of the rulemaking provides no basis for making such an estimate. The 

main purpose of the CRO requirement is to resolve problems before they turn into written 

complaints. Likewise, the purpose of the entire rule is to set fordi explicit expectations for PVO 

policies, so that PVOs do not conduct themselves in ways that give rise to complaints. Many 

vessel industry conmienters said that they emphasize providing good customer service to 

passengers with disabilities. If true, this would minimize the occurrence of complaints. For these 

reasons, the Department believes that the number of written complaints involving small entities 

would be small. If we assume that the task of gathermg information for and writing a letter to a 

complainant would take four hours, and diat 20 percent of the hypothetical 500 PVOs - 100 

entities - had one complaint filed against them per year, the task would occupy 400 work hours. 

Again, if we multiply diis figure by the average hourly wage of the CRO - assuming, as before, 

that this is $20/hour - then the annual total is $8000. It is possible to plug in a variety of 

assumptions about die number of CROs, the number of complaints, and the wage rates involved, 

but the bottom line remains a very modest economic impact in any plausible scenario. 

Parties aggrieved by PVO misconduct already have the authority to bring litigation under 

the ADA or to complain to DOJ about disability discrimination. The Spector case, cited earlier 

in this preamble, is the most prominent example of such litigation, having been decided by the 

Supreme Court. 
61 

Because the costs of the rule are minimal to any covered parties, and because the number 

of small entities affected is likely to be very small, I certify that this rule will not have a 

significant economic effect on a substantial number of small entities. 

Federalism 

While there are some state and local entities (i.e. operators of state or municipal ferry 

systems) that would be covered by this rule, most regulated parties are private entities. The rule 

will not create any significant changes in the Federal/state/local relationship with respect to these 

entities, and has no pre-emptive effect. Consequently, we have concluded that there are not 

sufficient Federalism impacts to warrant the preparation of a Federalism assessment. 

List of Subjects for 49 CFR Part 39 

Individuals with disabilities. Mass transportation. Passenger vessels 

ISSUED THI , 2010, AT WASHINGTON, D.C. 
62 

For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Department is creating a new 49 CFR Part 39, to 

read as follows: 

l.The authority citation for 49 CFR Part 39 reads as follows: 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 12101 through 12213; 49 U.S.C. 322; 29 U.S.C. 794 

2. Add a new 49 CETl Part 39, to read as follows: 

49 CFR Part 39 - Transportation for Individuals with Disabilities: Passenger Vessels 

Subpart A - General 

Sec. 

39.1 What is the purpose of this Part? 

39.3 What do the terms in this rule mean? 

« 

39.5 To whom do the provisions of this Part apply? 

39.7 What other authorities concerning nondiscrimination on the basis of disability apply to 

owners and operators of passenger vessels? 

39.9 What may the owner or operator of a foreign-flag vessel do if it believes a provision of a 

foreign nation's law prohibits compliance with a provision of this Part? 

39.11 [Reserved] 

39.13 When must PVOs comply with the provisions of this Part? 
63 

•Subpart B - Nondiscrimination and Access to Services 

39.21 What is the general nondiscrimination requirement of this Part? 

39.23 What are the requirements concerning contractors to owners and operators of passenger 

vessels? 

39.25 May PVOs refuse to provide transportation or use of a vessel on the basis of disability? 

39.27 Can a PVO take action to deny transportation or restrict services to a passenger with a 

disability based on safety concerns? 

39.29 May PVOs limit the number of passengers widi a disability on a passenger vessel? 

39.31 May PVOs limit access to transportation or use of a vessel on the basis that a passenger 

has a communicable disease? 

39.33 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to provide a medical certificate? 

39.35 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to provide advance notice that he or she is 

traveling on or using a passenger vessel when no special privileges or services are sought? 

39.37 

39.37 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to provide advance notice in order to 

obtain particular auxiliary aids and services or to arrange group travel? 

39.39 How do PVOs ensure that passengers with disabilities are able to use accessible cabins? 

39.41 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to travel with another person? 

39.43 May PVOs impose special charges on passengers with a disability for providing services 

required by this rule? 

39.45 May PVOs impose other restrictions on passengers with a disability that they do not 

impose on other passengers? 

39.47 May PVOs require passengers with a disability to sign waivers or releases? 
64 

Subpart C - Information for Passengers 

39.51 What is the general requirement for PVOs' provision of auxiliary aids and services to 

passengers? 

39.53 What information must PVOs provide to passengers with a disability? 

39.55 Must information and reservation services of PVOs be accessible to individuals with 

hearing or vision impairments? 

39.57 Must PVOs make copies of this rule available to passengers? 

•Subpart D - Accessibility of Landside Facilities 

39.61 - What requirements must PVOs meet concerning the accessibility of terminals and other 

landside facilities? 

39.63 What modifications and auxiliary aids and services are required at terminals and other 

landside facilities for individuals with hearing or vision impairments? 

•Subpart E - Accessibility of Vessels [RESERVED] 

Subpart F - Assistance and Services to Passengers with Disabilities 

39.81 What assistance must PVOs provide to passengers with a disability in getting to and from 

a passenger vessel? 

39.83 What are PVOs' obligations for assisting passengers with a disability in getting on and off 

a passenger vessel? 

39.85 What services must PVOs provide to passengers with a disability on board a passenger 

vessel? 
65 

39.87 What services are PVOs not required to provide to passengers with a disability on board a 

passenger vessel? 

39.89 What requirements apply to on-board safety briefings, information, and drills? 

39.91 Must PVOs permit passengers with a disability to travel with service animals? 

39.93 What wheelchairs and other assistive devices may passengers with a disability bring onto 

a passenger vessel? 

39.95 May PVOs limit their liability for the loss of or damage to wheelchairs and other assistive 

devices? 

Subpart G - Complaints and Enforcement Procedures 

39.101 What are the requirements for providing Complaints Resolution Officials? 

39.103 What actions do CROs take on complaints? 

39.105 How must PVOs respond to written complaints? 

39.107 Where may persons obtain assistance with matters covered by this regulation? 

39,109 What enforcement actions may be taken under this Part? 

Subpart A - General 

39.1 What is the purpose of this Part? 

The purpose of this Part is to carry out the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 

504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 with respect to passenger vessels. This rule prohibits 

owners and operators of passenger vessels, including U.S. and foreign-flag vessels, from 

discriminating against passengers on the basis of disability; requires vessels and related facilities 
66 

to be accessible; and requires owners and operators of vessels to take steps to accommodate 

passengers with disabilities. 

39.3 What do the terms in this rule mean? 

In this regulation, the terms listed in this section have the following meanings: 

"Accessible" means, with respect to vessels and facilities, complying with the applicable 

requirements of this Part. 

"The Act" or "ADA" means the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-336, 104 

Stat. 327, 42 U.S.C. 12101-12213 and 47 U.S.C. 225 and 611), as it may be amended from time 

to time. 

"Assistive device" means any piece of equipment that assists a passenger with a disability to 

cope with the effects of his or her disability. Such devices are intended to assist a passenger with 

a disability to hear, see, communicate, maneuver, or perform other functions of daily life, and 

may include medical devices. 

"Auxiliary aids and services" includes: 

(1) Qualified interpreters on-site or through video remote interpreting (VRI) services; 

notetakers; real-time computer-aided transcription services; written materials; exchange of 

written notes; telephone handset amplifiers; assistive listening devices; assistive listening 
67 

systems; telephones compatible with hearing aids; closed caption decoders; open and closed 

captioning, including real-time captioning; voice, text, and video-based telecommunications 

products and systems, including text telephones (TTYs), videophones, and captioned telephones, 

or equally effective telecommunications devices; videotext displays; accessible electronic and 

information technology; or other effective methods of making aurally delivered information 

available to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing; 

(2) Qualified readers, taped texts, audio recordings, brailed materials and displays, screen 

reader software, magnification software, optical readers, secondary auditory programs (SAP), 

large print materials, accessible electronic and information technology, or other effective 

methods of making visually delivered materials available to individuals who are blind or have 

low vision; 

(3) Acquisition or modification of equipment or devices; or 

(4) Other similar services or actions. 

"Coast Guard" means the United States Coast Guard, an agency of the Department of Homeland 

Security. 

"Commerce" means travel, trade, transportation, or communication among the several states, 

between any foreign country or any territory and possession and any state, or between points in 

the same state but through another state or foreign country. 
68 

"Designated public transportation" means transportation provided by a public entity by passenger 

vessel that provides the general public with general or special service, including charter service, 

on a regular and continuing basis. 

"Department" or "DOT" means the United States Department of Transportation, including any 

of its agencies. 

"Direct threat" means a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated 

by a modification of policies, practices, or procedures, or by the provision of auxiliary aids or 

services. 

"Disability" means, with respect to an individual, 

(A) a physical or mental impairment diat substantially limits one or more major life activities of 

such individual; 

(B) a record of such an impairment; or 

(C) being regarded as having such an impairment (as described in paragraph (3)). 

(1) "Major Life Activities" means 

(A) In general 

For purposes of this definition major life activities include, but are not limited to, caring for 

oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting. 
69 

bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, diinking, communicating, and 

working. 

(B) Major bodily functions 

For purposes of this definition, a major life activity also includes the operation of a major bodily 

function, including but not limited to, functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, 

digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and 

reproductive functions. 

(2) "Physical or mental impairment" means — 

(A) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss 

affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special 

sense organs, respiratory including speech organs, cardiovascular, digestive, genito-urinary, 

hemic and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine; 

(B) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, 

emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities. 

(C) The term "physical or mental impairment" includes, but is not limited to, such contagious or 

noncontagious diseases and conditions as orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments; 

cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, 

mental retardation, emotional illness, specific learning disabilities, HIV, tuberculosis, drug 

addiction and alcoholism. 

(D) The phrase "physical or mental impairment" does not include homosexuality or bisexuality. 

(3) Regarded as having such an impaiiinent 
70 

For purposes of this definition, 

(A) An individual meets the requirement of "being regarded as having such an impairment" if 

the individual establishes that he or she has been subjected to an action prohibited under this 

chapter because of an actual or perceived physical or mental impairment whether or not the 

impairment limits or is perceived to limit a major life activity. 

(B) The definition of "regarded as having such an impairment" shall not apply to impairments 

that are transitory and minor. A transitory impairment is an impairment with an actual or 

expected duration of 6 months or less. 

(4) Rules of construction regarding the definition of disability: 

The definition of "disability" in this section must be construed in accordance the provisions of 42 

U.S.C. 12102 (4). 

(5) The term "disability" does not include — 

(i) Transvestism, transsexualism, pedophilia, exhibitionism, voyeurism, gender identity disorders 

not resulting from physical impairments, or other sexual behavior disorders; 

(ii) Compulsive gambling, kleptomania, or pyromania; 

(iii) Psychoactive substance abuse disorders resulting from the current illegal use of drugs. 

"Facility" means all or any portion of buildings, structures, sites, complexes, equipment, roads, 

walks, passageways, parking lots, or other real or personal property, including the site where the 

building, property, structure, or equipment is located. 
7] 

"Individual with a disability" means a person who has a disability, but does not include an 

individual who is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs, when a public or private entity 

acts on the basis of such use. 

"Operates" includes, with respect to passenger vessel service, the provision of transportation by a 

public or private entity itself or by a person under a contractual or other arrangement or 

relationship with the entity. 

"Passenger for hire" means a passenger for whom consideration is contributed as a condition of 

carriage on the vessel, whether directly or indirectly flowing to the owner, charterer, operator, 

agent, or any other person having an interest in the vessel. 

"Passenger vessel" means any ship, boat, or other craft used as a conveyance on water, 

regardless of its means of propulsion, which accepts passengers, whether or not for hire. The 

term does not include boats or other craft rented or leased to and operated solely by consumers or 

fixed floating structures permanently moored or attached to a landside facility. 

"Passenger vessel owner or operator (PVO)" means any public or private entity that owns or 

operates a passenger vessel. When the party that owns a passenger vessel is a different pjirty 

from the party diat operates the vessel, both are responsible for complying with the requirements 

of this Part. To be a PVO for purposes of this Part, a private entity must be a private entity 
72 

primarily engaged in the business of transporting people, as determined by the Department of 

Transportation in consultation with the Department of Justice. 

"Private entity" means any entity other than a public entity that is primarily engaged in the 

business of transporting people. 

"Public entity" means: 

(a) Any state or local government; 

(b) Any department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of one or more 

state or local governments (including an entity established to provide public ferry service) 

"Qualified individual with a disability" means an individual with a disability — 

(a) Who, as a passenger (referred to as a "passenger with a disability"), with respect to obtaining 

transportation on or use of a passenger vessel, or other services or accommodations required by 

this Part, 

(i) Buys or otherwise validly obtains, or makes a good faith effort to obtain, a ticket for 

transportation on a passenger vessel and presents himself or herself at the vessel for the purpose 

of traveling on the voyage to which the ticket pertains; or 

(ii) With respect to use of a passenger vessel for which members of the public are not required to 

obtain tickets, presents himself or herself at the vessel for the purpose of using the vessel for the 

purpose for which it is made available to the public; and 

(iii) Meets reasonable, nondiscriminatory requirements applicable to all passengers; or 
73 

(b) Who, with respect to accompanying or meeting a traveler, using ground transportation, using 

facilities, or obtaining information about schedules, fares, reservations, or policies, takes those 

actions necessary to use facilities or services offered by the PVO to the general public, with 

reasonable modifications, as needed, provided by the PVO. 

"Secretary" means the Secretary of Transportation or his/her designee. 

"Section 504" means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Pub. L. 93-112, 87 Stat. 394, 

29 U.S.C. 794), as amended. 

"Service animal" means any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to work 

or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding 

individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or 

sounds, alerting persons with seizure disorders to the onset of a seizure, providing minimal 

protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items. 

"Specified public transportation" means transportation by passenger vessel provided by a private 

entity to the general public, with general or special service (includmg charter service) on a 

regular and continuing basis, where the private entity is primarily engaged in the business of 

transporting people. 

"Terminal" means, with respect to passenger vessel transportation, the portion of a property 

located adjacent to a dock, entry ramp, or other means of boarding a passenger vessel, including 
74 

areas through which passengers gain access to land transportation, passenger shelters, designated 

waiting areas, ticketing areas, and baggage drop-off and retrieval sites, to the extent that the PVO 

owns or leases the facility or exercises control over the selection, design, construction, or 

alteration of the property. 

"United States" or "U.S." means the United States of America, including its territories, 

commonwealths, and possessions. 

"Wheelchair" means any mobility aid belonging to any class of three or four-wheeled devices, 

usable indoors, designed for and used by individuals with mobility impairments, whether 

operated manually or powered. 

"You" means the owner or operator of a passenger vessel, unless the context requires a different 

meaning. 

39.5 To whom do the provisions of this Part apply? 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, this Part applies to you if 

you are the owner or operator of any passenger vessel, and you are: 

(1) A public entity that provides designated public transportation; or 

(2) A private entity primarily engaged in the business of transporting people whose 

operations affect commerce and that provides specified public transportation; 
75 

(b) If you are the PVO of a foreign-flag passenger vessel, this Part applies to you only if • 

your vessel picks up passengers at a port in the United States, its territories, possessions, or 

commonwealths. 

(c) [Reserved] 

39.7 What other authorities concerning nondiscrimination on the basis of disability apply 

to owners and operators of passenger vessels? 

(a) If you receive Federal financial assistance from the Department of Transportation, 

compliance with applicable requirements of this Part is a condition of compliance with section 

504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and of receiving financial assistance. 

(b) You are also subject to ADA regulations of the Department of Justice (28 CfTi Part 

35 or 36, as applicable). 

39.9 What may the owner or operator of a foreign-flag vessel do if it believes a provision of 

a foreign nation's law prohibits compliance with a provision of this Part? 

(a) If you are the PVO of a foreign-flag vessel, and you believe that a binding legal 

requirement of a foreign nation precludes you from complying with a provision of this Part, you 

may request a waiver of the provision of this Part. 

(b) You must send such a waiver request to the Department. 

(c) Your waiver request must include the following elements: 

(1) A copy, in the English language, of the foreign law involved; 

(2) A description of how the binding legal requirement of a foreign nation 

applies and how it precludes compliance with a provision of this Part; 
76 

(3) A description of the alternative means you will use, if the waiver is granted, to 

effectively achieve the objective of the provision of this Part subject to the waiver or, if 

applicable, a justification of why it would be impossible to achieve this objective in any 

way. 

(d) If you submit such a waiver request in the 90-day period between the publication of 

this rule in die Federal Register and the effective date of this Part, you may continue to apply the 

foreign legal requirement pending the Department's response to your waiver request. 

(e) The Department shall grant the waiver request if it determines that die binding legal 

requirement of a foreign nation applies, that it does preclude compliance with a provision of this 

Part, and that the PVO has provided an effective alternative means of achieving the objective of 

the provision of this Part subject to the waiver or clear and convincing evidence that it would be 

impossible to achieve this objective in any way. 

39.11 [RESERVED] 

39.13 When must PVOs comply with the provisions of this Part? 

You are required to comply with the requirements of this Part beginning [insert effective 

date of this Part], except as odierwise provided in individual sections of this Part. 

•Subpart B - Nondiscrimination and Access to Services 

39.21 What is the general nondiscrimination requirement of this Part? 

(a) As a PVO, you must not do any of the following things, either directly or through a 

contractual, licensing, or other arrangement: 
77 

(1) You must not discriminate against any qualified individual with a disability, by reason 

of such disability, with respect to the individual's use of a vessel; 

(2) You must not require a qualified individual with a disability to accept special services 

that the individual does not request; 

(3) You must not exclude a qualified individual with a disability from or deny die person 

the benefit of any vessel transportation or related services that are available to other persons, 

except when specifically permitted by another section of this Part; and 

(4) You must not take any action against an individual (e.g., refusing to provide 

transportation) because the individual asserts, on his or her own behalf or through or on behalf of 

odiers, rights protected by this Part or the ADA. 

(b) (1) As a PVO that is a private entity, you must make reasonable modifications in 

policies, practices, or procedures when such modifications are necessary to afford such goods, 

services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations to individuals with disabilities, 

unless you can demonstrate that making such modifications would fundamentally alter the nature 

of such goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations. 

(2) As a PVO that is a public entity, you must make reasonable modifications in policies, 

practices, or procedures when necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless 

you can demonstrate that making the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the 

services, programs, or activities you offer. 

39.23 What are the requirements concerning contractors to owners and operators of 

passenger vessels? 
78 

(a) If, as a PVO, you enter into a contractual or other arrangement or relationship with 

any other party to provide services to or affecting passengers, you must ensure that die other 

party meets the requirements of diis Part that would apply to you if you provided the service 

yourself. 

(b) As a PVO, you must include an assurance of compliance with this Part in your 

contracts or agreements with any contractors who provide to the public services that are subject 

to the requirements of this Part. Noncompliance with this assurance is a material breach of the 

contract on the contractor's part. With respect to contracts or agreements existing on [insert 

effective date of this rule], you must ensure the inclusion of this assurance by [insert date one 

year from the effective date of this rule] or on the next occasion on which die contract or 

agreement is renewed or amended, whichever comes first. 

(1) This assurance must commit the contractor to compliance with all applicable 

provisions of this Part in activities performed on behalf of the PVO. 

(2) The assurance must also commit the contractor to implementing directives issued by 

your Complaints Resolution Officials (CROs) under §39.103. 

(c) As a PVO, you must also include such an assurance of compliance in your contracts 

or agreements of appointment with U.S. travel agents. With respect to contracts or agreements 

with U.S. travel agents existing on [insert effective date of this rule], you must ensure the 

inclusion of this assurance by [insert date one year from the effective date of this rule] or on the 

next occasion on which the contract or agreement is renewed or amended, whichever comes first. 

You are not required to include such an assurance in contracts with foreign travel agents. 

(d) You remain responsible for your contractors' and U.S. travel agents' compliance with 

this Part and with the assurances in your contracts with them. 
79 

(e) It is not a defense to an enforcement action under this Part that your noncompliance 

resulted from action or inaction by a contractor or U-S. travel agent. 

39.25 May PVOs refuse to provide transportation or use of a vessel on the basis of 

disability? 

(a) As a PVO, you must not refuse to provide transportation or use of a vessel to a 

passenger with a disability on the basis of his or her disability, except as specifically permitted 

by this Part. 

(b) You must not refuse to provide transportation or use of a vessel to a passenger with a 

disability because the person's disability results in appearance or involuntary behavior that may 

offend, annoy, or inconvenience crewmembers or other passengers. 

(c) If you refuse to provide transportation or use of a vessel to a passenger on a basis 

relating to the individual's disability, you must provide to the person a written statement of the 

reason for the refusal. This statement must include the specific basis for your opinion that the 

refusal meets the standards of section 39.27 or is otherwise specifically permitted by this Part. 

You must provide this written statement to the person within 10 calendar days of the refusal of 

transportation or use of the vessel. 

39.27 Can a PVO take action to deny transportation or restrict services to a passenger 

with a disability based on safety concerns? 

(a) As a PVO, you may take action to deny transportation or restrict services to a 

passenger with a disability if necessitated by legitimate safety requirements. Safety requirements 

must be based on actual risks and not on mere speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations about 
80 

individuals with disabilities. 

Example 1 to paragraph 39.27 (a): You may take such action in order to comply with Coast 

Guard safety regulations 

Example 2 to paragraph 39.27(a): You may take such action if accommodating a large or heavy 

wheelchair would, together with its occupant, create weight and balance problem that could 

affect adversely the seaworthiness of the vessel or impede emergency egress from the vessel. 

Example 3 to paragraph 39.27(a): You could restrict access to a lifeboat for a mobility device 

that would limit access to the lifeboat for other passengers. 

(b) In taking action pursuant to legitimate safety requirements, you must take the action 

that imposes the minimum feasible burdens or limitations from the point of view of the 

passenger. For example, if you can meet legitimate safety requirements by a means short of 

refusing transportation to a passenger, you must do so. 

(c) You may take action to deny transportation or restrict services to a passenger if the 

passenger poses a direct threat to others. In determining whether an individual poses a direct 

threat to the health or safety of others, the PVO must make an individualized assessment, based 

on reasonable judgment that relies on current medical knowledge or on the best available 

objective evidence, to ascertain: the nature, duration, and severity of the risk; the probability that 

the potential injury will actually occur; and whether reasonable modifications of policies, 

practices, or procedures will mitigate die risk. 

39.29 May PVOs limit the number of passengers with a disability on a passenger vessel? 
81 

As a PVO, you must not limit the number of passengers with a disability other than 

individuals with a mobility disability on your vessel. However, if in die Captain's judgment, 

weight or stability issues are presented by the presence of mobility devices and would conflict 

with legitimate safety requirements pertaining to the vessel and its passengers, then the number 

of passengers with mobility aids may be limited, but only to the extent reasonable to prevent a 

avoid such a conflict. 

39.31 May PVOs limit access to transportation or use of a vessel on the basis that a 

passenger has a communicable disease? 

(a) You must not take any of the following actions on the basis that a passenger has a 

communicable disease or infection, unless one of the conditions of paragraph (b) of this section 

exists: 

(1) Refuse to provide transportation or use of a vessel to the passenger; 

(2) Delay the passenger's transportation or use of the vessel (e.g., require the passenger to 

take a later trip); 

(3) Impose on the passenger any condition, restriction, or requirement not imposed on 

other passengers; or 

(4) Require the passenger to provide a medical certificate. 

(b) You may take actions listed in paragraph (a) of this section only if either or both of 

the conditions listed in paragraphs (1) - (2) of this paragraph are met. The action you take must 

be the least restrictive from the point of view of the passenger, consistent with protecting the 

health of other passengers. 
82 

(1) U.S. or international public health authorities (e.g., the Centers for Disease Control, 

Public Health Service, World Health Organization) have determined that persons with a 

particular condition should not be permitted to travel or should travel only under conditions 

specified by the public health authorities; 

(2) An individual has a condition that is both readily transmissible by casual contact in 

the context of traveling on or using a passenger vessel and has serious health consequences. 

Example 1 to paragraph 39.31(b)(2). A passenger has a common cold. This condition is readily 

transmissible by casual contact but does not have serious health consequences. You may not 

take any of the actions listed in paragraph (a) of this section. 

Example 2 to paragraph 39.31(b)(2: A passenger has HIV/AIDS. This condition is not readily 

transmissible by casual contact but does have serious health consequences. You may not take 

any of the actions listed in paragraph (a) of this section. 

Example 3 to paragraph 39.31((b)(2): A passenger has SARS or a norovirus. These conditions 

are readily transmissible by casual contact and have serious health consequences. You may take 

an action listed in paragraph (a) of this section. Example 4 to paragraph 39.31(b)(2). A 

passenger has a condition diat is not readily transmissible by casual contact to or does not have 

serious health consequences for the general passenger population. However, it is possible that it 

could be readily transmitted by casual contact with and have serious health consequences for an 

individual with a severe allergy or severely compromised immune system. You may not take any 

of the actions listed in paragraph (a) of this section. 

(c) Any action of those listed in paragraph (a) of this section that you take under 

paragraph (b) of this section must be the least drastic action you can take to protect the health of 

other passengers. For example, if you can protect the health of other passenger by imposing a 
83 

condition on the transportation of a passenger with a communicable disease (e.g., limiting the 

passenger's access to certain facilities on the vessel for a period of time), you cannot totally deny 

transportation on the vessel. 

(d) For purposes of paragraph (a)(4) of diis section, a medical certificate is a written 

statement from the passenger's physician saying that the passenger's disease or infection would 

not, under the present conditions in the particular passenger's case, be readily communicable to 

other persons by casual contact during the normal course of the passenger's transportation or use 

of the vessel. Such a medical certificate must state any conditions or precautions that would 

have to be observed to prevent the transmission of the disease or infection to other persons in the 

normal course of the passenger's transportation on or use of the vessel. It must be sufficiently 

recent to pertain directly to the communicable disease presented by the passenger at the time the 

passenger seeks to board the vessel. 

(e) If your action under this section results in the postponement of a passenger's 

transportation or use of the vessel, you must permit the passenger to travel or use the vessel at a 

later available time (up to one year from the date of the postponed trip or use of the vessel) at the 

cost that would have applied to the passenger's originally scheduled trip or use of the vessel 

without penalty or, at the passenger's discretion, provide a refund for any unused transportation 

or use of the vessel. If there is no available reservation within one year, you must provide a 

refund. 

(f) If you take any action under this section that restricts a passenger's transportation or 

use of the vessel, you must, on the passenger's request, provide a written explanation within 10 

days of die request. 
84 

39.33 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to provide a medical certificate? 

Except as provided in section 39.31 of this Part, you must not require a passenger with a 

disability to have a medical certificate as a condition for being provided transportation on your 

vessel. 

39.35 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to provide advance notice that he or 

she is traveling on or using a passenger vessel when no particular services are sought? 

As a PVO, you must not require a passenger with a disability to provide advance notice 

of the fact that he or she is traveling on or using a passenger vessel when the passenger is not 

seeking particular auxiliary aids or services, or special privileges or services, that in order to be 

provided need to be arranged before the passenger arrives to board the vessel. The PVO always 

has an obligation to provide effective communication between the PVO and individuals who are 

deaf or hard of hearing or blind or visually impaired through the use of appropriate auxiliary aids 

and services. 

39.37 

39.37 May PVOs require a passenger with a disability to provide advance notice in order 

to obtain particular auxiliary aids and services or to arrange group travel? 

(a) Except as provided in this section, as a PVO you must not require a passenger with a 

disability to provide advance notice in order to obtain services or privileges required by this Part. 

(b) If 10 or more passengers with a disability seek to travel as a group, you may require 

72 hours advance notice for the group's travel. 

(c) With respect to providing particular auxiliary aids and services, you may request 

reasonable advance notice to guarantee the availability of those aids or services. 
85 

(d) Your resei-vation and other administrative systems must ensure that when passengers 

provide the advance notice that you require, consistent with this section, for services and 

privileges,, the notice is communicated, clearly and on time, to the people responsible for 

providing the requested service or accommodation. 

39.39 How do PVOs ensure that passengers with disabilities are able to use accessible 

cabins? 

(a) As a PVO operating a vessel that has accessible cabins, you must follow the 

requirements of this Part to ensure that passengers with disabilities who need accessible cabins 

have nondiscriminatory access to them. 

(b) You must, with respect to reservations made by any means (e.g., telephone, internet, 

in person, or through a third party): 

(1) Modify your policies, practices, or procedures to ensure that individuals with disabilities 

can make reservations for accessible cabins during the same hours and in the same manner as 

individuals who do not need accessible cabins; 

(2) Identify and describe accessible features in the cabins offered through your reservations 

service in enough detail to permit individuals with disabilities to assess independendy whether a 

given cabin meets his or her accessibility needs. 

(3) Ensure that accessible cabins are held for use by individuals with disabilities until all 

odier cabins in that class of service have been rented; 

(4) Reserve accessible cabins upon request by a passenger widi disabilities and ensure that 

the specific accessible cabin reserved by that passenger is held for him or her, even you do not 

normally hold specific cabins for passengers who make reservations. 
86 

(c) You may release unsold accessible cabins to persons without disabilities for their own use 

when all other cabins in the same class of service and price for a voyage have been reserved. 

(d) If a passenger with a disability seeks to reserve an accessible cabin in a given class of 

service, and there is not an available accessible cabin in that class of service, but there is an 

available accessible cabin in a different class of service, you must allow the passenger to reserve 

that accessible cabin at the price of the requested class of service of the class of service in which 

the accessible cabin exists, whichever is lower. 

(e) As a PVO, you are never required to deny transportation to any passenger who has 

already reserved passage in order to accommodate a passenger with a disability in an accessible 

cabin. 

(f) You must not require proof of disability, including, for example, a doctor's note, before 

reserving an accessible cabin. 

(g) To prevent fraud in the assignment of accessible cabins (e.g., attempts by individuals who do 

not have disabilities to reserve accessible cabins because they have greater space, you — 

(1) must inquire of persons seeking to reserve such cabins whether the individual (or an 

individual for whom the cabin is being reserved) has a mobility disability or a disability that 

requires the use of the accessible features that are provided in the cabin. 

(2) may require a written attestation from the individual that accessible cabin is for a person 

who has a mobility disability or a disability that requues the use of the accessible features that 

are provided in the cabin, 

(h) You must investigate the potential misuse of accessible cabins where there is good cause to 

believe that such cabins have been purchased fraudulently, and you may take appropriate action 

against someone who has reserved or purchased such a cabin fraudulently. For example, if an 
87 

individual who does not have a disability reserves an accessible cabin, after having attested that 

he or she has a mobility disability, you may deny transportation to the individual. 

39.41 May a passenger with a disability be required to travel with another person? 

(a) You must not require that a passenger with a disability travel with another person as a 

condition of being provided transportation on or use of a passenger vessel. 

(b) Your personnel are not required to perform personal tasks (e.g., assisting with eating, 

dressing, toileting) for a passenger. 

39.43 May PVOs impose special charges on passengers with a disability for providing 

services required by this rule? 

(a) As a PVO, you must not charge higher fares, surcharges, or other fees to passengers 

with a disability that are not imposed on other passengers for transportation or use of die vessel. 

(b) If the accommodations on a vessel that are accessible to passengers with a disability 

are available only in a type or class of service or part of a vessel that are more expensive than the 

type or class of service or part of a vessel that the passenger requests, you must provide the 

accessible accommodation at the price of the type or class of service or facility that the passenger 

requests. 

(c) You must not impose special or extra charges for providing facilities, equipment, or 

services that this rule requires to be provided to passengers with a disability. 
88 

39.45 May PVOs impose other restrictions on passengers with a disability that they do not 

impose on other passengers? 

(a) As a PVO, you must not subject passengers with a disability to restrictions that do 

not apply to other passengers, except as otherwise explicitly permitted in this Part. 

(b) Restrictions you must not impose on passengers with a disability include, but are 

not limited to, the following: 

(1) Restricting passengers' movement within the vessel or a terminal; 

(2) Requiring passengers to remain in a holding area or other location in order to 

receive transportation or services; 

(4) Requiring passengers to wear badges or other special identification; or 

(5) Requiring ambulatory passengers, including but not limited to blind or visually 

impaired passengers, to use a wheelchair or other mobility device in order to receive assistance 

required by this Part or otherwise offered to the passenger. 

(c) Special muster stations for disabled individuals are permissible for emergency 

evacuations in order to centrally locate available resources. 

39.47 May PVOs require passengers with a disability to sign waivers or releases? 

(a) As a PVO, you must not require passengers with a disability to sign any release or 

waiver of liability not required of all passengers in order to receive transportation or use of a 

vessel or to receive services relating to a disability. 

(b) You must not require passengers with a disability to sign waivers of liability for 

damage to or loss of wheelchairs or other mobility or assistive devices. 
89 

Subpart C - Information for Passengers 

39.51 What is the general requirement for PVOs' provision of auxiliary aids and services 

to passengers? 

(a) If you are a PVO that is a public entity, you must furnish appropriate auxiliary aids 

and services where necessary to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to 

participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a service, program or activity. In determining what type 

of auxiliary aid or service is necessary, you must give primary consideration to the requests of 

individuals with disabilities. 

(b) If you are a PVO that is a private entity, you must furnish appropriate auxiliary aids or 

services where necessary to ensure effective communication with individuals with disabilities. 

(c) If a provision of a particular auxiliary aid or service would result in a fundamental 

alteration in the nature of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or 

accommodations being offered or in an undue burden, you shall provide an alternative auxiliary 

aid or service, if one exists, that would not result in a fundamental alteration or undue burden but 

would nevertheless ensure that, to die maximum extent possible, individuals with disabilities 

receive the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations you offer. 

(d) As a PVO, it is your responsibility, not that of a passenger with a disability, to provide 

needed auxiliary aids and services. 

39.53 What information must PVOs provide to passengers with a disability? 

As a PVO, you must provide the following information to individuals who self-identify 

as having a disability (including those who are deaf or hard of hearing or who are blind or 

visually impaired) or who request disability-related information, or persons making inquiries on 
90 

the behalf of such persons. The information you provide must, to the maximum extent feasible, 

be specific to the vessel a person is seeking to travel on or use. 

(a) The availability of accessible facilities on the vessel including, but not limited to, 

means of boarding the vessel, toilet rooms, staterooms, decks, dining, and recreational facilities. 

(b) Any limitations of the usability of the vessel or portions of the vessel by people with 

mobility impairments; \ 

( c) Any limitations on the accessibility of boarding and disembarking at ports at which 

the vessel will call (e.g., because of the use of inaccessible lighters or tenders as the means of 

coming to or from the vessel); 

(d) Any limitations on the accessibility of services or tours ancillary to the 

transportation provided by the vessel concerning which the PVO makes arrangements available 

to passengers; 

(d) Any limitations on the ability of a passenger to take a service animal off the vessel at 

foreign ports at which the vessel will call (e.g., because of quarantine regulations) and provisions 

for the care of an animal acceptable to the PVO that the passenger must meet when the passenger 

disembarks at a port at which the animal must remain aboard the vessel. 

(e) The services, including auxiliary aids and services, available to individuals who are 

deaf or hard of hearing or blind or visually impaired. 

(b) Any limitations on the ability of the vessel to accommodate passengers with a disability. 

(c) Any limitations on the accessibility of boarding and disembarking at ports at which 

the vessel will call and services or tours ancillary to the transportation provided by the vessel 

concerning which the PVO makes arrangements available to passengers. 
91 

39.55 Must information and reservation services of PVOs be accessible to individuals with 

hearing or vision impairments? 

This section applies to information and reservation services made available to persons in 

the United States. 

(a) If, as a PVO, you provide telephone reservation or information service to the public, 

you must make this service available to individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and who use 

a text telephone (TTY) or a TTY relay service (TRS). 

(1) You must make service to TTY/TRS users available during the same hours as 

telephone service for the general public. 

(2) Your response time to TTY/TRS calls must be equivalent to your response time for 

your telephone service to the general public. 

(3) You must meet this requirement by [date one year from the effective date of this 

Part]. 

(b) If, as a PVO, you provide written (i.e., hard copy) information to the public, you 

must ensure that this information is able to be communicated effectively, on request, to persons 

with vision impairments. You must provide this information in the same languages(s) in which 

you make it available to the general public. 

39.57 Must PVOs make copies of this rule available to passengers? 

As a PVO, you must keep a current copy of this Part on each vessel and each U.S. port or 

terminal you serve and make it available to passengers on request. If you are an entity that does 

not receive Federal financial assistance, you are not required to make this copy available in 
92 

languages other than, English. You must make it available in accessible fonnats on request, 

subject to the provisions of section 39.51(c). 

Subpart D - Accessibility of Landside Facilities 

39.61 - What requirements must PVOs meet concerning the accessibility of terminals and 

other landside facilities? 

As a PVO, you must comply with the following requirements with respect to all terminal 

and other landside facilities you own, lease, or control in the United States (including its 

territories, possessions, and commonwealths): 

(a) With respect to new facilities, you must do die following: 

(1) You must ensure that terminal facilities are readily accessible to and usable by 

individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheeled mobility assistive devices. 

You are deemed to comply with this obligation if the facilities meet the requirements of 49 CFR 

Part 37, §37.9, and the standards referenced in that section. 

(2) You must ensure that there is an accessible route between the terminal or other 

passenger waiting area and the boarding ramp or device used for the vessel. An accessible route 

is one meeting the requirements of the standards referenced in 49 CFR Part 37, §37.9. 

(b) When a facility is altered, the altered portion must meet the same standards that would 

apply to a new facility, 

(c) With respect to an existing facility, your obligations are the following: 

(1) If you are a public entity, you must ensure that your terminals and other landside 

facilities meet program accessibility requirements, consistent with Department of Justice 

requirements at 28 CFR 35.150. 
93 

(2) If you are a private entity, you are required to remove architectural barriers where 

doing so is readily achievable, i.e., easily accomplishable and able to carried out without much 

difficulty or expense, consistent with Department of Justice requirements at 28 CFR 36.304 or, if 

not readily achievable, ensure that your goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or 

accommodations are available through alternative methods if those methods are readily 

achievable, consistent with Department of Justice regulations at 28.36.305. 

(d) Where you share responsibility for ensuring accessibility of a facility with another 

entity, you and the other entity are jointly and severally responsible for meeting applicable 

accessibility requirements. 

39.63 What modifications and auxiliary aids and services are required at terminals and 

other landside facilities for individuals with hearing or vision impairments? 

(a) As a PVO, you must ensure that the information you provide to the general public 

at terminals and other landside facilities is effectively communicated to individuals who are 

blind or who have impaired vision and deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals, through the use of 

auxiliary aids and services. To the extent that this information is not avaUable to these 

individuals through accessible signage and/or verbal public address announcements or other 

means , your personnel must promptly provide the information to such individuals on their 

request, in languages (e.g., English, Norwegian, Japanese) in which the information is provided 

to the general public. 

(b) The types of information you must make available include, but are not limited to, 

information concerning ticketing, fares, schedules and delays, and the checking and claiming of 

luggage. 
94 

Subpart E - Accessibility of Vessels 

[RESERVED] 

Subpart F -- Assistance and Services to Passengers with Disabilities 

39.81 What assistance must PVOs provide to passengers with a disability in getting to and 

from a passenger vessel? 

(a) As a PVO, if you provide, contract for, or otherwise arrange for transportation to and 

from a passenger vessel in the U.S. (e.g., a bus transfer from an airport to a vessel terminal), you 

must ensure that the transfer service is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, 

as required by this Part. 

(b) You must also provide assistance requested by or on behalf of a passenger with a 

disability in moving between the terminal entrance (or a vehicle drop-off point adjacent to the 

entrance) of a terminal in the U.S. and the place where people get on or off the passenger vessel. 

This requirement includes assistance in accessing key functional areas of the terminal, such as 

ticket counters and baggage checking/claim. It also includes a brief stop upon request at an 

accessible toilet room. 

39.83 What are PVOs' obligations for assisting passengers with a disability in getting on 

and otf a passenger vessel? 

(a) If a passenger with a disability can readily get on or off a passenger vessel without 

assistance, you are not required to provide such assistance to the passenger. You must not 
95 

require such a passenger with a disability to accept assistance from you in getting on or off the 

vessel unless it is provided to all passengers as a matter of course. 

(b) With respect to a passenger with a disability who is not able to get on or off a 

passenger vessel without assistance, you must promptly provide assistance that ensures that the 

passenger can get on or off the vessel. 

(c) When you have to provide assistance to a passenger with a disability in getting on or 

off a passenger vessel, you may use any available means to which the passenger consents (e.g., 

lifts, ramps, boarding chairs, assistance by vessel persormel). 

39.85 What services must PVOs provide to passengers with a disability on board a 

passenger vessel? 

As a PVO, you must provide services on board the vessel as requested by or on behalf of 

passengers with a disability, or when offered by PVO personnel and accepted by passengers with 

a disability, as follows: 

(a) Assistance in moving about the vessel, with respect to any physical barriers rendering 

an area not readily accessible and usable to the passenger. 

(b) If food is provided to passengers on the vessel, assistance in preparation for eating, 

such as opening packages and identifying food; 

(c) Effective communication with passengers who have vision impairments or who are 

deaf or hard-of-hearing, so that these passengers have timely access to information the PVO 

provides to other passengers (e.g., weather, on-board services, delays). 
96 

39.87 What services are PVOs not required to provide to passengers with a disability on 

board a passenger vessel? 

As a PVO, you are not required to provide extensive special assistance to passengers with 

a disability. For purposes of this section, extensive special assistance includes the following 

activities: 

(a) Assistance in actual eating; 

(b) Assistance within a toilet room or assistance elsewhere on the vessel with elimination 

functions; and 

(c) Provision of medical equipment or services, or personal devices, except to the extent 

provided to all passengers. 

39.89 What requirements apply to on-board safety briefings, information, and drills? 

As a PVO, you must comply with the following requirements with respect to safety 

briefings, information, or drills provided to passengers: 

(a) You must provide the briefings or other safety-related information through means that 

effectively communicate their content to persons with vision or hearing impairments, using 

auxiliary aids and services where necessary for effective communication. This includes 

providing written materials in alternative formats that persons with vision impairments can use. 

(b) You must not require any passenger with a disability to demonstrate that he or she 

has listened to, read, or understood the information presented, except to die extent that you 

impose such a requirement on all passengers. You must not take any action adverse to a 

qualified individual with a disability on the basis that the person has not "accepted" the briefing. 
97 

(c) As a PVO, if you present on-board safety briefings to passengers on video screens, 

you must ensure that the safety-video presentation is accessible to passengers widi impaired 

hearing (e.g., through use of captioning or placement of a sign language interpreter in the video). 

(d) You must provide whatever assistance is necessary to enable passengers with 

disabilities to participate fully in safety or emergency evacuation drills provided to all 

passengers. 

(e) You must maintain evacuation programs, information, and equipment in locations that 

passengers can readily access and use. 

39.91 Must PVOs permit passengers with a disability to travel with service animals? 

(a) As a PVO, you must permit service animals to accompany passengers with a 

disability. 

(b) You must permit the service animal to accompany the passenger in all locations that 

passengers can use on a vessel, including in lifeboats. 

(c) You must permit the passenger accompanied by the service animal to bring aboard a 

reasonable quantity of food for the animal aboard the vessel at no additional charge. If your 

vessel provides overnight accommodations, you must also provide reasonable refrigeration space 

for the service animal food. 

(d) You must accept the following as evidence that an animal is a service animal: 

identification cards, other written documentation, presence of harnesses, tags, and/or the credible 

verbal assurances of a passenger with a disability using the animal. 

(e) If the legal requirements of a foreign government (e.g., quarantine regulations) do 

not permit a service animal to disembark at a foreign port, as a PVO you may require the animal 
98 

to remain on board while its user leaves the vessel. You must work with the animal's user to 

ensure that the animal is properly cared for during the user's absence. 

39.93 What wheelchairs and other assistive devices may passengers with a disability bring 

onto a passenger vessel? 

(a) As a PVO subject to Title III of the ADA, you must permit 

individuals with mobility disabilities to use wheelchairs and manually-powered mobility aids, 

such as walkers, crutches, canes, braces, or other similar devices designed for use by individuals 

with mobility disabilities in any areas open to pedestrian use. 

(b) (1) As A PVO subject to Title III of the ADA, you must make reasonable 

modifications in your policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of other power-driven 

mobility devices by individuals with mobility disabilities, unless you can demonstrate that a 

device cannot be operated on board the vessel consistent with legitimate safety requirements you 

have established for the vessel. 

(2). In determining whether a particular other power-driven mobility device can be 

allowed on a specific vessel as a reasonable modification under (b)(1), the PVO must consider: 

(i) The type, size, weight, dimensions, and speed of the device; 

(ii) The vessel's volume of pedestrian traffic (which may vary at different times of the 

day, week, month, or year); 

(iii) The vessel's design and operational characteristics (e.g., the size and balance 

requirements of the vessel, the density and placement of stationary devices, and the availability 

of storage for the device, if requested by the user); 
99 

(iv) Wliether legitimate safety requirements can be established to permit the safe 

operation of a device in the specific vessel; and 

(c) (1) As a.PVO subject to Title III of the ADA, you must not ask an individual using a 

wheelchair or other power-driven mobility device questions about the nature and extent of the 

individual's disability. 

(2) You_may ask a person using an other power-driven mobility device to provide a 

credible assurance that the mobility device is required because of the person's disability. In 

response to this inquiry, you must accept the presentation of a valid. State-issued disability 

parking placard or card, or State-issued proof of disability as a credible assurance that the use of 

the other power-driven mobility device is for the individual's mobility disability. In lieu of a 

valid. State-issued disabdity parking placard or card, or State-issued proof of disability, a PVO 

shall accept as a credible assurance a verbal representation not contradicted by observable fact, 

that the other power-driven mobility device is being used for a mobility disability. 

(d) As a PVO subject to Title II of the ADA, you must follow the requirements of 

paragraphs (a)( - (c) of this section, hi addition, any restriction you impose on the use of an 

other powered mobility device on your vessel must be limited to the minimum necessary to meet 

a legitimate safety requirement. For example, if a device can be accommodated in some spaces 

of the vessel but not others because of a legitimate safety requirement, you could not completely 

exclude the device from the vessel. 

(e) As a PVO, you are not required to permit passengers widi a disability to bring 

wheelchairs or other powered mobility devices into lifeboats or other survival craft, in the 

context of an emergency evacuation of the vessel. 
100 

39.95 May PVOs limit their liability for loss of or damage to wheelchairs or other assistive 

devices? 

Consistent with any applicable requirements of international law, you must not apply any 

liability limits widi respect to loss of or damage to wheeled mobility assistive devices or other 

assistive devices. The criterion for calculating the compensation for a lost, damaged, or 

destroyed wheelchair or other assistive device is the original purchase price of the device. 

Subpart G -Complaints and Enforcement Procedures 

39.101 What are the requirements for providing Complaints Resolution Officials? 

(a) As a PVO, you must designate one or more Complaints Resolution Officials (CROs). 

(b) You must make a CRO available for contact on each vessel and at each terminal that 

you serve. The CRO may be made available in person or via telephone, if at no cost to the 

passenger. If a telephone link to the CRO is used, TTY or TRS service must be available so that 

persons with hearing impairments may readily communicate with the CRO. You must make 

CRO service available in the language(s) in which you make your other services available to the 

general public. 

(c) You must make passengers with a disability aware of the availability of a CRO and 

how to contact the CRO in the following circumstances: 

(1) In any situation in which any person complains or raises a concern with your 

persormel about discrimination, policies,, or services with respect to passengers with a disability, 

and your personnel do not immediately resolve the issue to the customer's satisfaction or provide 

a requested accommodation, your persormel must immediately inform the passenger of the right 

to contact a CRO and the location and/or phone number of the CRO available on the vessel or at 
101 

the terminal. Your personnel must provide this information to the passenger in a format he or she 

can use. 

(2) Your reservation agents, contractors, and web sites must provide information 

equivalent to that required by paragraph (c)(1) of this section to passengers with a disability 

using those services. 

(d) Each CRO must be thoroughly familiar with the requirements of this Part and the 

PVO's procedures with respect to passengers with a disability. The CRO is intended to be the 

PVO's "expert" in compliance with the requirements of this Part. 

(e) You must ensure diat each of your CROs has the authority to make dispositive 

resolution of complaints on behalf of the PVO. This means that the CRO must have the power to 

overrule the decision of any other persormel, except that the CRO may not be given authority to 

countermand a decision of the master of a vessel with respect to safety matters. 

39.103 What actions do CROs take on complaints? 

When a complaint is made directly to a CRO (e.g., orally, by phone, TTY) the CRO must 

promptly take dispositive action as follows: 

(a) If the complaint is made to a CRO before the action or proposed action of PVO 

personnel has resulted in a violation of a provision of this Part, the CRO must take, or direct 

other PVO personnel to take, whatever action is necessary to ensure compliance with this Part. 

(b) If an alleged violation of a provision of this Part has already occurred, and the CRO 

agrees that a violation has occurred, the CRO must provide to the complainant a written 

statement setting forth a summary of the facts and what steps, if any, the PVO proposes to take in 

response to the violation. 
102 

(c) If the CRO determines that die PVO's action does not violate a provision of this Part, 

the CRO must provide to the complainant a written statement including a summary of the facts 

and the reasons, under this Part, for the determination. 

(d) The statements required to be provided under this section must inform the 

complainant of his or her right to complain to the Department of Transportation and/or 

Department of Justice. The CRO must provide the statement in person to the complainant in 

person if possible; otherwise, it must be transmitted to the complainant within 10 calendar days 

of the complaint. 

39.105 How must PVOs respond to written complaints? 

(a) As a PVO, you must respond to written complaints received by any means (e.g., 

letter, fax, e-mail, electronic instant message) concerning matters covered by this Part. 

(b) A passenger making a written complaint, must state whether he or she had contacted a 

CRO in the matter, provide the name of the CRO and the date of the contact, if available, and 

enclose any written response received from the CRO. 

(c) As a PVO, you are not required to respond to a complaint from a passenger 

postmarked or transmitted more than 45 days after the date of die incident. 

(d) As a PVO, you must make a dispositive written response to a written disability 

complaint within 30 days of its receipt. The response must specifically admit or deny that a 

violation of diis Part has occurred. The response must be effectively communicated to the 

recipient. 
103 

(1) If you admit that a violation has occurred, you must provide to the complainant a 

written statement setting forth a summary of the facts and the steps, if any, you will take in 

response to the violation. 

(2) If you deny that a violation has occurred, your response must include a summary of 

the facts and your reasons, under this Part, for the determination. 

(3) Your response must also inform the complainant of his or her right to pursue DOT or 

DOJ enforcement action under this Part, as applicable. DOT has enforcement authority under 

Title II of the ADA for public entities and under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act for entities 

that receive Federal financial assistance; DOJ has enforcement authority under Title III of the 

ADA for private entities. 

39.107 Where may persons obtain assistance with matters covered by this regulation ? 

A passenger, PVO, or any other person may obtain information, guidance, or other 

assistance concerning 49 CFR Part 39 from then DOT Departmental Office of Civil Rights 

and/or DOT Office of General Counsel, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590. 

39.109 What enforcement actions may be taken under this Part? 

(a) The Department of Transportation investigates complaints and conducts reviews or 

other inquiries into the compliance with this Part of PVOs that are Title II entities. 

(b) As a PVO subject to Title II of the ADA, you must be prepared to provide to the 

Department of Transportation a written explanation of your action in any situation in which you 

exclude or restrict an individual with a disability or any mobility or other assistive device used 

by such an individual with respect to the use of your vessel. 
104 

(c ) The Department of Transportation investigates complaints conducts compliance 

reviews or other inquiries into the compliance of this Part of PVOs, whether private or public 

entities, that receive Federal financial assistance from the Department, under section 504 of the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. 

(d) The Department may refer any matter concerning the compliance of PVOs with 

this Part to the Department of Justice for enforcement action. 

(e) The Department of Justice investigates complaints and conducts reviews or other 

inquiries into the compliance with this Part of PVOs that are Title III entities. 

(f) The Department of Justice may file suit in Federal court against both Title II and Title 

III PVOs for violations of diis Part."