TAM is proud to announce that for our 2026 Wheelchair Securement Month, we will be bringing back our 2-day advanced mobility device securement class. This training will not only cover important legal and passenger sensitivity issues but will also give hands-on training from renowned industry experts on securing a variety of mobility devices - mechanical, powered, and scooter.

When: March 18 & 19, 2026 
Where: Frederick Transit, 1040 Rocky Springs Road, Frederick MD, 21702
Who should attend: Bus operators with a responsibility for transporting passengers using mobility devices and staff responsible for training operators in safe securement and passenger assistance.
How to register: Click here! Registration is $99 for TAM members, $199 for Non Members. There are 28 seats available for this training. Registration will be limited to 1 registrant per agency until March 2, at which point all remaining seats will be opened for registration.

The workshop will begin at 9 AM each day and will conclude by 5 PM. Lunch will be provided for attendees each day. Please indicate any dietary requirements during the registration process!

Hotel Information

The Maryland Department of Transportation/Maryland Transit Administration will reimburse TAM member attendees for 1 night's hotel stay (Wednesday 3/18) for those who attend this workshop. The registrant will need to submit an RTAP reimbursement form to MDOT/MTA, Luke Benson at [email protected] after the Forum. Note that only agencies will be reimbursed, not individuals. There are numerous hotels located very close to Frederick Transit.

We recommend the Springhill Suites on Byte drive, as well as a variety of hotels off of Westview Drive in Frederick, including the Marriott Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, and Courtyard.

Workshop Description: 

Understanding Transit Responsibilities Under the ADA with emphasis on Sensitivity and Advanced Mobility Device Securement

Presented by: Michael Noel of Noel Training & Consulting and Peter Albrecht of Public Transit Training & Safety

Transit agencies have a responsibility to train vehicle operators to provide safe and sensitive transportation to all passengers, including those who are considered part of the community addressed in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and specifically those who use mobility devices. Many This workshop addresses the special challenges of transporting individuals with disabilities, especially those who use oversized and powered wheelchairs and scooters.

To fulfill this responsibility, operators need to safely board and secure passengers who use mobility devices and assist with placing seat belts on the passengers who uses mobility devices as transit seating. This important task is becoming increasingly challenging as operators are confronted with a variety of powered mobility devices that often lack traditional securement points and may not have been addressed in basic securement training. This workshop gives transit operators and professionals responsible for training bus operators an opportunity to be more sensitive to persons with disabilities, address mobility device securement challenges, explore related issues with peers, and enhance their knowledge and skills. 

The goal of this workshop is to better understand transit agency responsibilities under the ADA, to understand techniques in serving persons with disabilities when providing services and to present, demonstrate, and practice problem-solving skills for securing powered mobility devices.

After successfully completing this two-day workshop, participants will be able to: 

• Understand communication techniques when dealing with passengers with various disabilities, including invisible disabilities such as deafness and mental disabilities.
• Understand tools such as travel training and travel assistant cards to assist passengers in successfully navigating the system.
• Understand the issues of sensitivity when transporting persons with disabilities
• Understand the American with Disabilities Act, its requirements regarding securement and seat belt use and the concept of “training to proficiency”
• Understand how to deal with difficult riders who have disabilities, including guidance on how to resolve issues with riders, or if appropriate personal care assistants, caregivers, or guardians before refusing service.
• Understand pre-trip preparation tasks, as related to mobility device and passenger securement
• Understand the mechanics of manual, powered and oversized wheelchairs and powered scooters
• Safely Board persons using mobility Devices on bus ramps and lifts
• Determine effective strap securement locations on difficult to secure mobility devices.
• Understand improved techniques when using securement equipment on difficult to secure and oversized mobility devices
• Understand the use and placement of seat belts and shoulder belts
• Recognize how proper body mechanics and exercise can reduce the risk of job injuries associated with boarding and securing passengers who use advanced mobility device

Wheelchair Securement Month

The Transportation Association of Maryland designates March as Wheelchair Safety and Securement Awareness Month. According to the United States Census, the percentage of individuals with disabilities that use public transportation is 6% and 3.3 million individuals over the age of 15 use mobility devices such as wheelchairs.

By bringing awareness to this issue, TAM hopes that all those who participate in the transportation of individuals with disabilities will take a moment during the month of March and review their processes and procedures for conducting these types of activities.

Wheelchair Safety Posters

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82833016397?pwd=eZxk1gPfQnbOOvzl4NDczahVNOaMlB.1