ADA Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary This Year

Barry Baldwin drove a bus for the New York City Transit Authority for 27 years before retiring from his job. While working for the New York City Transit Authority, Barry Baldwin received an American with Disabilities Act (ADA) certificate award in 2005 for providing outstanding service to passengers.

This year, the ADA will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Signed into law 1990 by former President George Bush, Sr., the ADA was formed to protect people with disabilities against discrimination in several areas. The law bans discrimination against people with disabilities as it relates to housing, employment, education, and in all areas of life.

Similar to other civil rights legislation, the ADA law dictates that people with disabilities must have access to the same opportunities as everyone else. The law is separated into five sections related to public accommodations, transportation, employment, telecommunications, and state and local government agencies.

The ADA was a significant event in creating an inclusive environment for a few reasons. For one, it created a platform for an inclusive environment where public and private organizations made accommodations for this population. Since being signed into the law, the ADA has been amended. In 2009, changes to the law were related to definitions of disability. These changes apply to Title I, II, and III programs.

The Origins of Jazz

A winner of multiple safety awards, Barry Baldwin served for 27 years as a bus driver in New York City. In his free time, Barry Baldwin enjoys listening to jazz. Although the term encompasses many styles, jazz is often characterized by improvisation on a familiar melody and a call-and-response pattern of one instrument responding to another.

Jazz emerged in the early 20th century in the cosmopolitan atmosphere of New Orleans, Louisiana, where immigrants from many nations brought along their musical heritage. Drawing on rhythms from African music and harmonies from the classical world, jazz also incorporated elements of the blues, marches, and ragtime.

Musicians such as Buddy Bolden and Jelly Roll Morton popularized jazz early on. A key moment in jazz history was its first recording, “Livery Blues,” by Nick LaRocca and his Original Dixieland Jazz Band (1917). However, the genre did not gain widespread acclaim until the appearance of legendary trumpeter Louis Armstrong, the first person to play solos on his recordings.

Jazz attracted European fans and eventually won over the entire world as an impressive body of work emerged from the likes of Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis. It even took hold in the former Soviet Union, where devotees secretly tuned in to the Voice of America’s radio signal to hear jazz greats during the Cold War.

An Introduction to the 10-Speed Bike

A former machine operator at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City, Barry Baldwin spent nearly three decades with the New York City Transit Authority as a bus operator. During this time, he earned numerous safety awards. Beyond his professional activities, Barry Baldwin enjoys staying physically fit. He walks several times per week and rides his 10-speed bike every weekend.

A 10-speed bike is a commonly seen multi-gear bicycle that allows riders to easily shift gears depending on the terrain and incline before them. To determine how many gears a bike has, simply multiply the number of rear sprockets by the number of chainrings on the front tire. A 10-speed would feature 10 sprockets and a single chainring.

The purpose of a multi-gear design is to assist riders in maintaining comfortable speeds and consistent levels of physical effort. For example, consider a cyclist riding along a flat, well-kept road at a leisurely cadence. If this rider is suddenly presented with a steep hill to climb or a gradual decline, they will need to adjust their gear to maintain the same cadence, an impossibility with a single-speed model.

High gears are better suited to descents, or other scenarios in which the cyclist is riding at high speeds. A bike’s highest gear is reached by setting the chainring to its largest size and moving down to the smallest rear sprocket. On the other hand, lower gears help the rider maintain momentum when pedaling up a steep incline.

It should be noted that gears and sprockets have no impact on relative speed. A 30-speed bike, for example, is no way faster than a 10 speed, nor is it an inherently better-made product. Furthermore, beginners must appreciate that “10 speed” is one of the most generic categories a bike can be put into. It is advisable to conduct research and speak with a professional regarding individual needs and desires, including a budget, when purchasing a bike.

Public Transit Access Rights Under the ADA

Longtime New York City resident Barry Baldwin started working as a bus driver after spending several years of his career as a mailroom machine operator for Chase Manhattan Bank. While working for the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority, Barry Baldwin earned an American with Disabilities Act (ADA) certificate in recognition of his exceptional service to customers with disabilities.

The ADA stipulates that public transit authorities must ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to public transportation. Part of the passengers with disabilities’ Bill of Rights includes the right to access general public transportation methods and the right to choose the best seating option.

People with service animals are also protected under the ADA and cannot be denied access to public transportation simply due to the presence of their service animals. The Metropolitan Transit Authority also operates a paratransit service that must provide accessible customer assistance, allow for flexible scheduling, and ensure the safety of all passengers.