Smart Ass Cripple: Amtrakâs History of Dodging Access Laws The service was given two decades to become fully accessible after the signing of the ADA. Itâs been more than thirty years, and itâs not even close. Hereâs a plea to the lawmakers of the future: If youâre going to make a historic, comprehensive civil rights law, make a historic, comprehensive civil rights law. Please donât riddle it with a bunch of waivers, loopholes, grace periods, and grandfather clauses. Amtrak was given twenty years to comply with the ADA and didnât come close to making that deadline.