Canada’s Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC), in partnership with the Pacific Autism Family Network (PAFN), updated its bus operator training programs to improve the transit experience for neurodivergent customers across Metro Vancouver.

A new 14-minute training video, entitled “Supporting Your Neurodivergent Passengers,” provides current and new operators with facts, figures, and insights about transit customers who are part of the neurodivergent community. 

It recreates some common bus-related scenarios — offering operators valuable tips and techniques for supporting customers, and empowering neurodivergent riders to navigate the system.

“Every day, we serve a variety of transit users across our system and each one of them has a unique story,” says CMBC President/GM Michael McDaniel. “Our goal with this partnership is to ensure the neurodivergent community is met with empathy, compassion, and understanding while taking transit in our region.”

CMBC’s New Training Video 

The video has been introduced into the new and refresher CMBC bus operator training programs and includes:

• Awareness and insights about the neurodivergent community.

• Common traits that neurodivergent customers may exhibit.

• Possible scenarios and strategies for successful interactions.

• Perspectives from neurodivergent riders about their transit experiences.

PAFN is Canada’s first and only purpose-built center of excellence for autism, where families can access innovative and specialized services, world-class partners, and community support all in one place and across its network, from childhood to adulthood.

“For many neurodivergent riders, transit is both a passion and a lifeline to being part of our community,” says PAFN CEO Loring Phinney. “This partnership is an important step toward ensuring bus operators have the background information and support strategies they need to help neurodivergent riders across Metro Vancouver get where they need to go safely and happily.”

Building on Previous Training 

In addition to the creation of a bus operator training video, Metro Vancouver Transit Police recently worked with PAFN with a collaboration that helped develop and implement a neurodivergent training session for officers earlier this year. 

The partnerships continue to build on TransLink’s enterprise-wide commitment to provide employees with the education, awareness, and tools to best serve all transit users throughout the region.