Transit Agencies Mark Autism Awareness Month with Announcements, Certifications, and Resource Fairs

In recognition of Autism Awareness Month this April, the voices of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are being heard across public transportation systems. The Autism Transit Project coordinates with transit agencies to make public service announcements by children with ASD.

Jonathan Trichter, who created the Autism Transit Project in 2022 with New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said, “Children with autism sometimes fixate on feats of everyday mechanical engineering.” He has noticed that “Frontline workers see it every day. Transit is a place where many of these children feel safe, engaged, and understood.”

In addition to the public service announcements, agencies are holding resource fairs and receiving training on the needs of passengers with ASD.

Bay Area Rapid Transit

BART hosted 12 local youth with ASD at its headquarters to record special announcements and learn about the system from staff. BART Chief Communications Officer Alicia Trost said, “We know many of these families spend hours riding BART. This is a special opportunity to hear directly from them and to experience transit through their eyes.”

Chicago Transit Authority

CTA worked with 19 local youth who recorded rail system audio announcements. CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said the announcements celebrate a “community that loves the CTA and public transit like no other.”

Maryland Transit Administration

MTA joined other agencies in airing specialized safety messages at its train stations. This is MTA’s third consecutive year partnering with the Autism Transit Project.

Reinforcing the agency’s commitment to more accessible services, Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold said, “We are committed to creating meaningful ways for young people with autism to explore and engage with our region’s transit system.”

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

MBTA is playing 30 public announcements created by local youth with ASD in stations across the system. Messages focus on safety reminders and uplifting kindness. MBTA also hosted a reception for participating youth and their families.  

New Jersey TRANSIT

In addition to featuring announcements recorded by neurodiverse children that will be played at train stations across the transit system, two buses and a locomotive have been wrapped in special messaging to promote autism acceptance. One of the bus designs was created by local neurodiverse children.

NJ TRANSIT continues to offer a MagnusCards travel app for neurodiverse individuals and unveiled a website on “Autism, Neurodivergence & the Power of Public Transportation”with resources and travel tips. “Together, we are ensuring that the NJ TRANSIT travel experience is accessible and welcoming for all,” said President and CEO Kris Kolluri. 

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority

NYMTA invited children with autism to Grand Central station for transit experiences in celebration of the awareness month. Partnering with New York City Public Schools and INCLUDEnyc, 15 students and their guardians explored a vintage bus, a locomotive, and a simulator room. The children met and spoke with NYMTA employees, including a bus driver, locomotive engineer, and members of an operations training team.

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

SEPTA held a first-ever resource fair with resources for neurodivergent riders and for a better overall riding experience. SEPTA’s Autism Awareness & Acceptance Committee and Accessible Travel Center partnered with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Eagles Autism Challenge, Drexel University, and Elwyn to offer resources emphasizing acceptance through better support and education.

Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority

TARTA’s paratransit division (TARTA Move) renewed its certification as a Certified Autism Center, the only transit division in Ohio with the designation. Granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, certification means that TARTA paratransit team members have undergone training to better understand and accommodate the needs of autistic passengers.

“Understanding the needs of specific passengers is such an important step in being able to serve this community,” said TARTA Deputy CEO Rick Bailey. “Anxiety and sensory overload can induce stress for many paratransit clients. Adaptability, clear signage, and expectation and consistency are key to lowering that stress level.”

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

For the fourth year in a row, WMATA/Metro partnered with the Autism Transit Project, inviting 10 children and teens with autism to record boarding and safety announcements. The announcements, played throughout the month, cover a variety of information, such as reminders to hold children by the hand on escalators and mind the gap when entering and exiting trains.

An event at the West Falls Church station, participants toured a rail car and buses and participated in a question-and-answer session with General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. “We are committed to creating a system—and a region—where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and able to fully participate in daily life. The announcements you hear in our station this month are a way to show that Metro stands with the autism community,” said Clarke.