Ben
Ritter had a breakthrough in making fueling easier for people with disabilities.
Ritter is the Government Relations Director at the Florida Gulf Coast PVA. He’s
long promoted getting stickers with the International Symbol of Accessibility
(the white stick wheelchair user against a blue background) along with assistance-request
instructions placed on fuel pumps. For most gas retailers, this would be store
phone numbers on the stickers. People with disabilities would then be able to
easily call into stores with their mobile phones to request assistance.
On April 9, Ritter and others met in Tampa with officials from RaceTrac Petroleum
and the J.H. Williams Oil Company. Both expressed willingness to try the stickers
on a limited basis. If the companies feel the experiment works, they’ll
expand it. RaceTrac has about 525 locations. Williams has about 40.
In a recent e-mail, Ritter explained, “Mike (Aldred) informed me that
he has placed phone number stickers on his gas station at 1901 E. Adamo Drive,
located in the Ybor City section of Tampa. He has also placed a sign on this
station's roadside marquis. The signs with the ISA symbol read: ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE
ON REQUEST (813) 248-2390. Mike has since spoken on a conference call with the
Florida Petroleum Marketers Association, and the Association likes the idea
of their members placing phone numbers on their gas pumps.”
The
ADA covers gas sellers, as explained at /www.ada.gov/gasserve.htm: “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.”
However,
there are no explanations about what required signs should display. They’re
also rare. Additionally, “honking and signaling an employee” are
generally ineffective for getting assistance. The stickers with store phone
numbers might resolve many difficulties.
However,
some people with disabilities dislike the ISA stickers with store numbers as
a solution to fueling concerns, preferring that gas sellers install call buttons
on accessible swing arms. These allow people with mobility impairments to use
the buttons without leaving their automobiles. For gas retailers, accessible
call buttons is a much more expensive proposition than pump stickers. However,
the proposal has merits. Not all people with disabilities have or can easily
use mobile phones.
The CFPVA is working with the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities to
develop a mixed proposal: getting gas sellers to have some marked pumps with
accessible call buttons, and posting the ISA stickers with store numbers on
remaining ones. CFPVA is researching the average number of pumps at gas retailers
to find a reasonable formula to recommend on this year’s Commission Report
to the Governor.
Patrick McCallister
Click the below image to return
