How Can NADTC Better Support Your Work?
We Want to Hear from You!
We are in the planning stages of our work plan for an additional five years at the NADTC, and we would appreciate your input! To ensure our work aligns with your organization’s priorities, please take a few minutes to answer 10 short questions enabling us to continue meeting your needs. Thank you for providing your perspective! Questions? Let us know.
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National Initiative on Transportation Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
NADTC has launched a Transportation Diversity, Equity and Inclusion webpage on our website where you will find up-to-date information on our work in this arena and a host of transportation, diversity and equity resources including articles, reports, webinars and more.
Coming Soon!
NADTC will be conducting a national diversity survey to gauge opinions and obtain information from a representative sample of racially, ethnically and culturally diverse older adults, people with disabilities and family caregivers about their experiences accessing and using local transportation options in the United States. If your organization or your partners serve diverse older adults or individuals (18-59) living with a physical disability, we hope you will help us spread the word and encourage responses from your constituents. Stay tuned for more information!
If you are interested in being contacted for future partnership in this diversity initiative or would like to know more, please email [email protected].
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This guest blog post, written by Neva Fairchild and Pris Rogers of the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) presents the findings of AFB’s Project VISITOR, which collected information from both providers of vision rehabilitation services and older adults with low vision. While some barriers are experienced by older adults, such as how to know that you have arrived at your destination, are unique to this population. One way to address the transportation barriers identified in the research is to involve persons with vision loss in transportation planning.
This blog features the work of the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, which led the state’s efforts to better address coordination with the goal of expanding and improving accessible transportation. The blog highlights the new law Accessible Transportation and Mobility Act of 2020, which created the Office of Accessible Transportation within the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and discusses next steps for the new office.
Photo Credit: Indianapolis Public Transportation Corp., Indianapolis, IN
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January 21-29, 2021
Virtual
This 100th Annual Meeting will be conducted as a virtual event on January 21-29, 2021, with sessions and workshops focusing on the spotlight theme for this year: Launching a New Century of Mobility and Quality of Life. The meeting program will cover all transportation modes, addressing topics of interest to policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions. Also featuring dozens of sessions on how COVID-19 has impacted transportation and how transit professionals and researchers are responding.
January 25-27, 2021
Virtual
The Age-Friendly Cities International Conference and Exhibition is designed to introduce best practices and serve as a mechanism to create a deep understanding of what is involved in the creation of vibrant, cohesive and sustainable age-friendly cities. The conference will provide a foundation for the creation of a global network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. NADTC's Co-Director, Carol Wright Kenderdine will deliver a keynote address, "Innovative Technology for Age-Friendly Transportation to Facilitate Mobility of Older People" on January 27, 2021.
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The Retirement Research Foundation
The Retirement Research Foundation awards direct service grants for community projects, supportive services for older adults ages 65 and older, nursing home care, acute and long-term care, and opportunities for older adult employment and volunteerism. Eligible organizations in the following states may apply: Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Visit the Retirement Research Foundation website to learn more and apply. Proposals are due on February 1, 2021.
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The Georgia Tech Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation has adapted many COVID-19 materials into various accessible formats that can be easily found on their website. The resource center offers embossed braille materials on request and enables users to download accessible Word Documents and PDFs, register for webinars and locate materials related to COVID-19 for people with disabilities. Additional materials, including American Sign Language, will be coming soon.
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The HI-5 initiative explores a social and environmental approach that improves population health and health equity, commonly known as social determinates of health. A key component is the recognition that increased public transportation use may help to reduce injuries associated with motor vehicle incidents, reduce air pollution and associated respiratory illness, and lead to increased physical activity. The positive impact of increased public transit usage extends to the broader community and non-transit riders through a reduction in roadway congestion and environmental improvement.
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Transportation Providers: Use Home for the Holidays Campaign Materials to Spotlight Social Engagement Opportunities for the Riders You Serve |
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Just in time for the holiday season, the Eldercare Locator and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) have launched the 2020 Home for the Holidays campaign! This year’s campaign focuses on programs that foster social connection during a time when social isolation and loneliness may increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that prior to COVID-19, transportation programs offered critical connection to health care, essential community services and opportunities for social engagement. Many of these local transportation programs have partnered with aging and disability organizations to help with food and pharmacy deliveries and keep in touch with regular riders who are in self-quarantine.
In case you missed it, NADTC published a blog post highlighting how transportation challenges can affect the health and well-being of older adults and includes resources to help older adults stay connected and engaged to family, friends and the broader community, especially during the holidays.
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U.S. Access Board Names New Executive Director
NADTC congratulates Dr. Sachin Dev Pavithran who has been named the new Executive Director of the U.S. Access Board. Dr. Pavithran succeeds David Capozzi who recently retired. Dr. Pavithran served as a member of the Access Board for the past eight years.
The U.S. Access Board is an independent federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. The Board develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and for electronic and information technology.
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U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Final Rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals
Enacted by USDOT on December 2, the final ruling aligns with the ADA definition from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) which states, “service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability,” and no longer identifies comfort or emotional support animals as a service animal on board commercial airlines, and must fully comply by early 2021.
NADTC often receives questions explaining the difference between the Federal Transit Administration and DOJ rulings on ADA guidelines.
By definition under 49 CFR 37.3, the FTA recognizes, “any guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually trained to work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.” The FTA has chosen not to adhere to the DOJ definition for service animals on public or private transportation. This discrepancy between the FTA and the DOJ ADA regulations means that a person with a disability accompanied by a service animal, other than a dog, may encounter varying rules on commercial airlines versus other forms of public transportation.
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National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
Washington, DC
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The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center is a program funded by the Federal Transit Administration and administered by Easterseals and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) with guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living. |
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