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Banks updating ATMs to meet ADA requirements - McPherson, KS - The McPherson Sentinel

By Katie Stockstill-Sawyer, managing editor

The McPherson Sentinel

Posted Apr 22, 2011 @ 09:33 AM

 

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McPherson, Kan. —

 

Bryce Brewer has his work cut out for him.

The Peoples Bank and Trust Vice President for Technology is in charge of retrofitting or replacing nine ATMs for the bank before March 2012. He has one

complete and eight more to go.

Brewer and employees at nearly every bank and credit union across the country realized a heft to-do list following the adoption of new rules and regulations

for ATMs from the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act.

The new complaince requirements are complex and technical and will require nearly all ATMs to be updated. That means time and money for financial institutions.

“While the new ADA compliance standards have been on the ATM industry’s radar for many years, the reality of fully understanding the intricacies of the

new rules and actually complying with them within the next 17 months will be an overwhelming task for many ATM deployers,” said Sam M. Ditzion, CEO, Tremont

Capital Group.

The ADA regulations will require every ATM to be voice activate, have Braile keypads and, for indoor machines, have automatic doors and sufficient space

for wheelchair access.

Jan Seiler, vice president at Home State Bank and Trust, said the bank has already started brining its machines into complaince. The new auto-bank location

meets the new ADA standards and plans are in place to replace the bank’s three remaining machines. Seiler said replacement is more cost-effective than

trying to update old technology and machines.

John Paulson, president of Citizens Community Bank, said the ATM located at the bank’s McPherson branch is relatively new and therefore will require minimal

upgrades. But the bank is facing some major expenses at its other locations.

The ATM at its Arlington branch is substantially older and is located inside the foyer of the bank. The decision of whether to upgrade or replace the machine

was made easier by thieves, who attempted to rob the ATM in Feburary.

“It was an opportune time for us to make a commitment to safety and accessibility by purchasing a new ATM which will be installed in the wall of our building

outside in our drive-thru,” Paulson said.

Peoples Bank will be able to make three ATMs complaint through software upgrades and replacing a keypad Brewer said. The remaining six ATMs will likely

be replaced.

Even small changes Brewer said, aren’t cheap or simple. Machines without voice capability will require major changes to accomidate both sound and a head

phone jack which can be a very complex upgrade.

For exterior  and stand alone ATMs, the process will be slightly easier Brewer said.

All banks were required to have ADA complaince plans submitted to the government by March 15 and will have until March 15, 2012, to make all of the outlined

changes.

Copyright 2011 The McPherson Sentinel. Some rights reserved

 

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