Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The city’s fare policy change will require people with mobility devices and the visually impaired, who have a card from the Canadian National Institute of the Blind, to pay full fare on city transit buses. Right now, cardholders can ride them for free.

Agency has yet to implement regular onboard announcements of stops that could help visually impaired passengers, nearly one year after releasing its accessibility report. Says implementation is three to five years away, mostly due to cost.

The conference, sponsored by the Association of Travel Instruction, is recommended for travel trainers, mobility managers and other persons interested in greater use of public transit by all disabled individuals and seniors.

OnTheBus hooks into GPS and transit data and alerts the user where and when they need to board, signal and disembark.

Enables some hearing aids to amplify a single source of sound. Installed on a fleet of 17 motorcoaches operating 34 scheduled routes that serve passengers throughout Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas.

One of only four nationwide, the new transit simulator includes a 40-foot OCTA bus, sidewalks, wheelchair-accessible curbs, crosswalk and operating traffic signals to fully replicate a bus stop. The facility will be used to determine eligibility for the agency's paratransit system.

Presentations include how to teach safe street crossings in congested urban environments; current practices for effective travel training of seniors; and preparing newly-hired travel trainers.

In January of this year, RTD issued 49.7 percent more discount disability cards than in the same month of 2010. Increase may be due in part to social service agencies increasing efforts to get their clients enrolled in the transit agency’s disability pass program.

The Living Independence Network Corp. now offers transportation to 1,000 residents by pursuing federal grant funding and implementing a voucher system.

Attendees asked the two finalists -- Linda Watson and Deborah Finn -- about accessibility issues such as ramps for bus stops.