The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: August thirtieth, asking questions about access.

In the eleven years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, great strides have been taken in making the nation's travel infrastructure more accessible. Yet, for most of the 54 million travelers in wheel chairs or with other special needs, the notion of a stress free vacation is still a long way off, even in the U.S.

Federal law mandates that all new construction and renovation of public buildings or businesses be wheelchair accessible, but exceptions and violations abound. Many cities now have accessible mass transit or transportation services, but these systems can be sporadic and overwhelmed during peak periods. Some airlines do well getting wheelchair bound passengers comfortably on and off planes, others do not, and there are so many instances of travelers left waiting for assistance, it's hard to travel with confidence.

Progress continues to be made. Greyhound provides free tickets to those accompanying disabled passengers. Holland America Line has installed accessible tenders on several of its ships, while Carnival Cruises was forced to make 25 cabins on each of its boats accessible. This Fall, AAA will publish two guides outlining the accessibility levels of member hotels, restaurants and attractions in California and Florida, including height of beds and width of bathroom doors.

Though positive steps have been taken, and organizations and websites make information about traveling with disabilities more accessible than ever, myriad hurdles remain, and often in unexpected and frustrating places. Issues of access are examined in the latest edition the magazine National Geographic Traveler, a supporter of our program.

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