Development of an Assistance Guide for Safe Transit Travel Designed for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum and Other Disabilities
Written by Cecilia Feeley, Feeley Consulting and Lucinda Shannon, Easter Seals Project ACTION
Unlike physical disabilities, development disabilities may be less obvious to the casual observer. Since the introduction of the ADA, bus drivers and transit workers have been trained to identify and accommodate physical disabilities. For example, when an individual in a wheel chair needs to get on a transit bus, the driver can identify the disability and has training in how to assist the rider. In addition, individuals with physical disabilities may be able to provide direction to the driver concerning locking down the wheel chair etc. In cases of autism and other development disabilities the rider may exhibit no outward signs of the disability and the driver may be unaware that the rider may need specialized assistance. Even worse, the rider may be unable to communicate that they require assistance. Furthermore, the problem is compounded by other riders or the need to keep on schedule and the fact that the driver may be completely unaware of the specialized needs. For these individuals routine travel works well but when something unpredictable occurs it can become a crisis where problems can easily compound. For individuals without a disability issues such as missing a stop or not recognizing the route may be considered inconveniences or annoyances, but for an individual on the autism spectrum disruptions to routine and pattern may be critical to functioning thus creating significant barriers to transit travel. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE >>>
Introduction of the GET Going! Guiding Everyday Travel Pocket Guide for Transit Trips
The GET Going! Guiding Everyday Travel pocket guide is a small guide that people can carry with them on transit trips to help them remember important information about their trip. This new personal pocket guide provides transit riders with tips on what to do if they find themselves unsure of how to proceed with their trip. The guide includes spaces for writing destination, fare amount, contact numbers and contains suggestions on what travelers can do if they lose their fare; miss their stop, bus, or train; get lost; or feel unsafe. It can also help when someone misses their bus or train, misses their stop, gets lost or feels unsafe. It has a place for filling in the traveler’s destination, fare, and personal and transit emergency contacts. READ FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE >>>
