Transportation Options for Nondrivers with Multiple Disabilities
If your child is a nondriver, they might choose to use a variety of transportation options throughout adolescence and adulthood. There are options that can be used with support or independently, it will depend on your child’s abilities and needs. Beginning in preschool or elementary school, you can expose your child to the options that may be used daily. Your child may be able to use one or more options for specific purposes. Learning fixed routes for travel will increase independence.
Public Transportation
When your child is young, consider traveling as a family using public transportation in your community. If you drive a car, plan a monthly outing where you take the public bus or a taxi. Involve your child in outings by having specific things to do. Over time you can increase the amount of responsibility your child has when the two of you travel.
Para-Transit
Most communities have a para-transit service that provides transportation for people with disabilities or elderly individuals for a reduced price. Speak with the O&M specialist to learn about para-transit in your community, or call the local bus or train company to ask if there is a para-transit alternative. When your child is in high school, consider registering for your local para-transit service. This involves obtaining an application, getting a signature from your child’s doctor to verify your child’s disability, and conducting an interview or evaluation to determine eligibility for the service. Most para-transit companies allow riders to have one person with them when they travel, so you can go with your child on the para-transit van or car.
As with other forms of transportation, consider having a monthly outing using this method of travel so that your child becomes familiar with it. This service provides door-to-door transportation for people with disabilities, it may be a very viable option for your child to use as a teenager and into adulthood.
For more information, see Foundations of Education, Volume II, A. Koenig & C. Holbrook (Eds.)