For most teenagers, the ability to get around without asking for a ride is the ultimate rite of passage. However, for teens with disabilities, that kind of freedom may feel unattainable — that’s not the case thanks to Palm Tran. A joint effort between Palm Tran and the Palm Beach County School District is helping teachers educate disabled students on how to navigate public transportation. Palm Tran Travel Training workshops inform teachers on how to use public buses so they can return to the classroom and instruct their disabled students.
A group of thirty Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teachers recently gathered at Clifford O. Taylor/Kirklane Elementary School in Palm Springs, Florida to attend Palm Tran’s Travel Trainer Professional Development workshop. The workshop addressed everything from trip planning to wheelchair accessibility and navigating service changes.
“The workshop is not only informative but imperative to the success of my students,” said James Dact, an ESE teacher in attendance. “Fifteen of my students have been taking the bus from school to their employment daily due because they cannot drive.”
Since 2005, Palm Tran Travel Training workshops have been held throughout the region. There is no other training program in Palm Beach County like the one Palm Tran offers. The Palm Tran Travel Training has filled a gap for students who have disabilities by facilitating their independence and mobility.
“The opportunity to live a self-sufficient life is important to everyone,” Palm Tran Executive Director Clinton B. Forbes said. “Helping disabled teenagers acquire the skills necessary to navigate public transportation improves their quality of life for decades to come. Palm Tran is proud to lead in that effort.”
In the long term, Palm Tran Travel Training workshops encourage the use of the most appropriate and cost-effective transit option for all riders. Many of these students will qualify for Palm Tran Connection, a costly door-to-door paratransit service that provides transportation for disabled residents. However, instilling students with skills to take fixed-route buses instead increases the amount of space on paratransit vehicles for disabled riders who have no other option but to use them.
“The ESE students will never be able to drive a car and they will solely rely on public transportation. We are training teachers to educate their special needs students on how to travel independently,” RoseAnn Labella-Voils, who coordinates Travel Training events, said. “In the long run, Travel Training is cost-efficient because it will reduce the number of riders that rely on our paratransit services, which are more costly to provide than fixed-route bus service.”
The training also involves the latest digital technologies used by Palm Tran, which can seem daunting at first. Fortunately, Antorris Williams, a Palm Tran employee in attendance, was excited to help teachers learn to use Palm Tran’s MyStop Mobile app on their smartphones and tablets.
“I enjoyed being able to thoroughly answer their questions and navigate them through the trip planning feature. Everyone also learned how to receive bus arrival information via text,” Williams said.
All teachers who completed the training received a Palm Tran Certified Travel Trainer badge. The badge allows them to travel on Palm Tran buses for free to train their students throughout the year.
“Overall, Palm Tran Travel Training supports Palm Beach County School District teachers in implementing student goals for post-graduation success by increasing student skills in the critical area of independent travel. Students who complete Travel Training will benefit for the rest of their lives by being able to navigate the community for work, social and daily living needs,” ESE Resource Teacher Kristy Hoot said.
