December 18: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History

1980:  The Southern California Rapid Transit District begins service to the disabled community.

10 year celebration held in 1990.

On November 14, 1974, the Southern California Rapid Transit District adopted a policy to purchase all new buses with wheelchair lifts to accommodate disabled persons.  In taking this action, SCRTD became the first transit agency in the nation to adopt a policy calling for equal access to all bus patrons.  December 18, 1980 is construed from an article titled “Ten Years of Accessible service Celebrated,” which discusses the event held on December 18, 1990.

More information can be found in the February, 1991 issue of the Headway, the Southern California Rapid Transit District’s employee news magazine.