The New Freedom program (Section 5317) is a new Federal Transit Administration (FTA) program established under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The program is designed to improve transportation services for individuals with disabilities by providing them with alternatives to public transportation outside of what the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires.

The New Freedom Program is “intended to fill the gaps between human service and public transportation services previously available and to facilitate the integration of individuals with disabilities into the workforce and full participation in the community.” 1 The program is the result of the New Freedom Initiative, a comprehensive program passed by President George W. Bush that assists in this integration. A landmark decision in Olmstead vs. L.C., which ultimately made segregation for persons with disabilities illegal, spurred the President’s actions.