RTA (Chicago Region) Travel Training Offering Expanded Program's for People with Disabilities

The information below is from RTA website;

RTA Travel Training Program
The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Travel Training Program teaches individuals with disabilities and older adults how to use CTA, Metra and Pace buses and trains. Travel Training is free except for the cost of transit fares during training sessions.
The RTA Travel Training Program offers three types of training tailored to meet each participant’s need:

1. Trip Training
2.Individual Transit Orientation
3. Group Transit Orientation

The RTA Travel Training Coordinator will help participants decide which type of training will work best for them.
Travel training sessions are provided by professionals who have experience working with people with disabilities and older adults, and are knowledgeable about transportation accessibility.

Trip Training
Participants in this type of training work one-on-one with a travel trainer to practice using buses and trains to travel to locations they go to on a regular basis. During Trip Training sessions participants will learn how to recognize landmarks to know when to get off the bus or train and how to interact with transit personnel and other riders.

Individual Transit Orientation
Participants in this type of training will work one-on-one with a Travel Trainer to receive a general introduction to bus and train accessibility. The goal of Individual Transit Orientation is to educate participants on how to use the entire transit system.

During Individual Transit Orientation sessions a Travel Trainer will explain how to use accessibility features in transit vehicles and train stations, and how to plan trips on CTA, Metra and Pace. In addition, Travel Trainers may take participants to a bus garage or rail station to practice boarding transit vehicles or practice using buses and trains to build confidence.

Group Transit Orientation
This type of training provides group presentations at agencies that serve people with disabilities and older adults throughout the six-county region. The goal of Group Transit Orientation is to give participants and agency staff an introduction to the accessibility of CTA, Metra and Pace service, and to demonstrate the benefits of using fixed route buses and trains.

During Group Transit Orientation presentations, a Travel Trainer will explain how to use accessibility features in transit vehicles and train stations, how to plan trips and pay fares on CTA, Metra and Pace, and how to travel safely in the community while using buses and trains.

To sign up for Travel Training, contact the RTA Travel Training Program at (312) 913-3120 or by email at traveltraining@rtachicago.org

Here's what past program participants had to say about the RTA Travel Training Program:

“The Travel Training Program is great and people should not be afraid. They should go ahead and try the fixed-route service.”
Heather

“I learned so much from my Travel Trainer. Now I know how to transfer on Pace buses to get to work. I wasn’t scared because my Travel Trainer talked me through the process as we were training.”
Laura

“Before Travel Training, I felt I could easily get lost. I never went to my school or the bookstore by bus or train. Now I can get to those places without any problems. My trainer was very, very, very nice.”
Brian

“In a sense, (Travel Training) changed my life because it helped me build my confidence to get out more and travel independently. Now I feel like I can take some of my family members on fixed-route and show them what I've learned. Before they would have to take me out but now, I can show them that I can do it on my own.”
Anna

RTA Travel Training Program

YouTube Uploaded on Mar 8, 2011 by RTA Chicago

For More from RTA Accessiblity programs; http://www.rtachicago.com/accessibility/accessibility.html