Easter Seals study calls for developing more information and technical assistance for mobility management.

The ability to live a self-sufficient life is important to everyone, and the ability to travel between home and destinations of choice is an integral part of self-sufficient living. Some people with disabilities use paratransit services to get where they need to go while others use fixed-route systems.

Increasing cutbacks in fixed-route systems has placed a strain on both paratransit operations and people with disabilities who rely on public bus and rail systems to get to work, social activities and other places.

The recent ESPA Talks Paratransit Online Dialogue provided a new opportunity for public and private transportation providers to discuss how they are meeting the needs of their customers in this challenging economic market.

Programs aimed at young children use field trips and visual effects-filled presentations to extol the benefits of using transportation, while others geared toward seniors use discussions and training to help them make the sometimes difficult transition from driving.