The ADA and Gas Stations

Posted by Katja on 30 May 2003 | Permalink
Filed under disability
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By the way, here’s what the Americans With Disabilities Act has to say about gas stations:

Assistance at Self-Serve Gas Stations

People with disabilities may find it difficult or impossible to use the controls, hose, or nozzle of a self-serve gas pump. As a result, at stations that offer both self and full service, people with disabilities might have no choice but to purchase the more expensive gas from a full-serve pump. At locations with only self-serve pumps, they might be unable to purchase gas at all.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires self-serve gas stations to provide equal access to their customers with disabilities. If necessary to provide access, gas stations must -

  • Provide refueling assistance upon the request of an individual with a disability. A service station or convenience store is not required to provide such service at any time that it is operating on a remote control basis with a single employee, but is encouraged to do so, if feasible.
  • Let patrons know (e.g., through appropriate signs) that customers with disabilities can obtain refueling assistance by either honking or otherwise signaling an employee.
  • Provide the refueling assistance without any charge beyond the self-serve price.

If you have additional questions concerning the ADA, you may call the Department of Justice’s ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383 (TDD) or access the ADA Home Page at: (www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm).

What does this mean? It means that at a full-serve station (if you don’t live in Oregon or New Jersey and can find one), the attendent must pump gas for you at the self-serve price if you request it. At a self-serve station with two or more employees, there must be some means for you to communicate with an employee and s/he must pump for you at the self-serve price.

Comments

2 Responses to “The ADA and Gas Stations”

  1. sandra on June 3rd, 2003 18.55

    Thanks for that information!

    I’d like to echo the sentiment of the previous post, that your site is a wonderful resource and very educational. :)

  2. Katja on June 3rd, 2003 19.52

    Thanks - there is so much I’ve learned over the last five or six years that I realise I’ve been taking for granted, and sometimes it’s hard to dig it out of my head and get it down in electrons, but I really want to keep trying.