The Federal Transit Administration is investigating whether a Philadelphia-area commuter rail line's struggles to keep escalators and elevators running at its stations amounts to a violation of federal law that requires access for disabled customers.
The investigation of PATCO, which is part of the Delaware River Port Authority, was reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The agency is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a new maintenance contract for the elevators and escalators.
Officials hope the planned deal with a subsidiary of the manufacturer of most of the escalators will make it easier to get replacement parts.
In August, the escalators were working 56 percent of the time.
The agency plans to put elevators in all its Center City Philadelphia and southern New Jersey stations by 2017.
PATCO apologized to riders in a statement last month:
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"We let PATCO customers down, and we apologize. Our customers deserve much more from us," said John Matheussen, PATCO president and CEO of the Delaware River Port Authority.
