Strategies to Better Serve Customers with Vision Impairments (Emerging Leaders Program)

Improving service delivery and rider experience for passengers with disabilities, particularly those with vision impairment, is not only a legal and ethical obligation in public transportation, but can also lead to further reducing barriers to entry and increasing ridership among this population that greatly relies on public transportation as a primary means for mobility.  Passengers with visual impairments have diverse needs and preferences, which often lead to challenges when using public transportation. Transit agencies have an opportunity to make enhancements that create a positive impact on the customer experience for these individuals by providing thoughtful and targeted actions to improve wayfinding, information sharing, and operator interactions.

This capstone project will focus on how transit agencies currently design, fund, train, and operate service for this population and actions agencies can take to reduce barriers to entry and improve customer experience for people with vision impairments. Through a literature review, interviews of agency staff, and interviews with those with visual impairments–both riders and non-riders– the team will present findings on the current rider experience, existing barriers to entry, current best practices, and recommendations for improvements that could be made within the industry.

Presenters:

• Edgar Sanchez Larios, Swiftly, Inc.
• Ken Hendricks, Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District
• Natalie Chavez, VTA
• Patrick Ryan, DB E.C.O. North America Inc.
• Sarah Kerber, Sacramento Regional Transit