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"Our mission is to support providers
of travel instruction for the purpose of
teaching people with disabilities and seniors
to travel safely and independently."
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2010-2011 Association of Travel Instruction Officers: |
President
President-elect
Secretary
Treasurer |
Mary
Riegelmayer
Peggy Schmidt
Susan Olsson
Rosanne Bopp |
To contact any of
the above ATI Officers or the eight additional ATI Board of
Directors members, please
CLICK HERE.
E-news Editor: Terry Moakley E-news Designer: Terry
Massie |
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IN THIS ISSUE: |
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1.
President's
Message by Mary Riegelmayer
2.
Complete ATI Conference Registration
Packet A Click Away
3.
Election of ATI Board of Directors To Be Held at
Philadelphia Conference
4.
Proposed Guidelines for Public Rights-of-Way Coming This
Summer
5.
Partnership for Mobility Management Announced at CTAA Expo
6.
Legal Action in New York City Seeks Wheelchair Accessible Taxis
7.
Maryland Department of Disabilities Posts "Work Matters Travel
Training" Document
8.
Forward this Newsletter |
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE BY MARY RIEGELMAYER
Hi everyone, it’s time to get in the game!
This
year’s annual ATI Conference, August 12-14, 2011, is in
Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. A special tour of
Citizens’ Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball
team, has been arranged for Thursday, August 11, for those who
arrive early. The hotel is located in the Historic District close to
national landmarks such as the Liberty Bell, and there is plenty to
see and do. The hotel is accessible by public transportation as
well. You won’t want to miss our annual raffle, which is our only
fundraising event, held during the banquet. This is your chance to
show your creative side or represent your region and share local
items or traditions. Join in the fun and represent your local
community or show off your talent and bring items to raffle, buy a
ticket and join the fun. We have a varied agenda of exciting
presentations with something for everyone. Our presenters consist of
experienced trainers and newer trainers providing varied
perspectives and educational approaches. This conference promises
great opportunities for getting those questions answered, meeting or
making new friends and networking. There are also opportunities for
those who are interested in making a more serious commitment to the
field of travel instruction. If you are interested in making a
difference and are committed to hard work there are several open
positions for the Board of Directors. Details will be forthcoming.
So, get in the game and make a difference. We are looking forward to
seeing you in Philly for a fun and educational experience that you
can take back and share with your colleagues. See you in the City of
Brotherly Love, historic Philadelphia, from August 12-14! |
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COMPLETE ATI
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION PACKET A CLICK AWAY
That’s right folks, and here’s its contents...
Invitation
from Conference co-chairs Peggy Schmidt and Cecile Charlton; the
Conference Registration form and other important information
including making hotel reservations, parking at the Conference
hotel, public transportation information from the Philadelphia
Airport and our always exciting Annual Raffle Fundraiser;
descriptions of the different ATI membership categories and ATI
sponsorship opportunities, as well as the 2011
membership/sponsorship form; the 2011 Jack Gorelick Award (ATI’s
highest honor) form, and ATI Conference grant and scholarship
opportunities plus the relevant form; and, the ATI Conference
Preliminary Agenda, complete with Abstracts of each and every
presentation.
CLICK HERE
to download the August ATI Conference Registration Packet. |
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ELECTION OF ATI BOARD OF
DIRECTORS TO BE HELD AT PHILADELPHIA CONFERENCE
ATI Board Member and
Inspector of Elections Louis Hoffman has prepared all the
information to conduct ATI Board of Directors elections at the
upcoming conference on Saturday, August 13.
A
three year term and several one year terms are available.
CLICK HERE to read about the expectations and
responsibilities of members of ATI’s Board of Directors. Following
that information, there are two forms: the first form is meant to be
used if you wish to nominate an ATI member other than yourself, and
it asks you if you have contacted and received the approval to
nominate this member; and, the second form is a bit lengthier and it
is meant to be completed by ATI members who choose to nominate
themselves. Please note that nominations for ATI Board of Directors
should be returned to Louis by Monday, August 1st. |
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PROPOSED GUIDELINES FOR
PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY COMING THIS SUMMER
On June 16, the United
States Access Board announced that it will release proposed
guidelines for public comment in late July or August that address
access to sidewalks, street crossings and other components of
pedestrian networks for persons with disabilities, including
individuals with vision impairments.
The
Board seeks to establish design criteria for pedestrian access
routes, curb ramps and blended transitions, pedestrian signals,
on-street parking, street furniture and other elements that take
into account constraints unique to public streets and sidewalks,
including space limitations and terrain. The Access Board plans to
conduct a webinar to review the proposed guidelines, and it will
schedule public hearings on them in Washington, DC and Dallas. To
sign up to receive information electronically on this process,
please click on this link,
http://access-board.gov/. |
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PARTNERSHIP FOR MOBILITY
MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCED AT CTAA EXPO
In early June at the Community
Transportation Association EXPO 2011 held in Indianapolis, the
formation of a membership organization of individuals interested in
improving the mobility of ALL people in our country was announced.
The Partnership For Mobility Management is a joint effort to improve
mobility options for all Americans wherever they live and to assist
those especially in need of alternative transportation options.
CLICK HERE to fill out a simple name and address form and
return it to: Community Transportation Association, 1341 G Street,
NW, 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20005. You will be billed
the $25 per year membership fee. |
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LEGAL ACTION IN NEW YORK
CITY SEEKS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TAXIS
On May 24, a Federal District Court judge
refused to grant a motion made by the New York City Taxi & Limousine
Commission to dismiss a case brought by Disability Rights Advocates,
United Spinal Association and others, charging the city agency with
discrimination based on disability under the Americans with
Disabilities Act because of its failure to require approximately
1,100 new Toyota Sienna vans placed into service as yellow taxis to
be accessible.
The plaintiffs maintain that ADA regulations require vans to be
accessible when used in taxi service. Currently, there are 231
wheelchair-accessible minivans in operation as yellow taxis in New
York City, most of which are Toyota Siennas. These 232 accessible
cabs represent just 1.7% of the total 13,237 yellow cabs in
operation in New York. In other related developments, the U. S.
Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the selection
by the city of a vehicle which cannot be made accessible to
wheelchair users as the winner of its “Taxi of Tomorrow” design
competition; and, a bill passed by the New York State Legislature on
Friday, June 24, includes a requirement that New York City sell 569
new wheelchair accessible-only yellow taxi medallions sometime after
July 1, 2012. At press time, Governor Andrew Cuomo had not yet
signed nor vetoed this bill.
Many
disability advocates nationwide believe that the availability of
wheelchair-accessible taxis could provide more accessible
transportation service to people with disabilities residing in rural
and suburban communities, and that more accessible taxis in urban
areas could serve to lessen the demand for ADA paratransit service,
which is generally more expensive for transit properties to provide. |
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MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF
DISABILITIES POSTS "WORK MATTERS TRAVEL TRAINING" DOCUMENT
Most of this newsletter’s readers may not
be surprised by most of the material in this listing of travel
training principles and resources in the “Old Line” state.
We would guess that most readers know about the benefits of travel
training and travel training activities. But I liked a list of
characteristics that define an “effective” travel trainer, as well
as a list of “passenger rights” granted to persons with disabilities
by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
CLICK HERE to read the entire document. |
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FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER
Know other travel trainers,
travel instructors, mobility specialists, ADA coordinators, ADA
Paratransit eligibility certifiers, travel buddies, human service
agency transportation staff, school transition coordinators,
independent living center or other disability group transportation
advocates—basically anyone who assists persons with disabilities or
seniors to use public transportation, or who is thinking of starting
any type of travel training service, from short and simple group
familiarization programs to intensive, short-term one-on-one travel
training?
If so, please forward this issue to them. Help ATI
build its membership and attract new sponsors |
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P.O. Box 2042 - Madison Square Station
- New York, NY 10159 |
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