Conference for transit trainers set for St. Louis

The Association of Travel Instruction (ATI), whose members teach persons with disabilities of all ages and seniors how to use public transportation systems safely and independently, will hold its Ninth Annual Continuing Education Conference from July 31 to August 2, 2009, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel–Downtown, St. Louis.

The ATI Conference offers two and one-half days of papers, roundtable discussions, and professional development workshops on topics such as teaching proper street crossing techniques, safe securement in a public transportation vehicle, training non-literate  customers how to use a public bus or rail system, and the significance of  “trainee” data collection in a travel training program.

A highlight of this conference will be a real-time demonstration of a new electronic Transit Assistance Device for public transportation passengers with cognitive disabilities, developed at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. This device can ring, vibrate and play an audio message that informs the rider as the bus nears the passenger’s stop. New features of this device that utilize a transportation agency’s automatic vehicle locator (AVL) system will also be discussed.

Individuals and interested public transportation organizations will find full conference registration information, including the preliminary agenda, on the ATI Website, www.travelinstruction.org. Attendees have the option of registering for this conference as well as becoming members of ATI online or by mail. Registration deadline, inclusive of hotel guestrooms, is July 6, 2009.

The Association of Travel Instruction is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation. ATI”s members nationwide and in Canada are employed by, or contract with, public transportation agencies, ADA paratransit services, school districts, adult service providers, community rehabilitation agencies, mobility management companies, transportation management associations, independent living centers and other disability groups, and aging programs. ATI publishes a free, monthly e-newsletter, which may be requested by anyone interested in the travel training profession at www.travelinstruction.org/newsletter.html.