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DART – Let's Go.

Travel Training Program

Experience Independence

Travel Training

Travel Training is your ticket to the freedom of public transit. DART Paratransit Services offers Travel Training to people with disabilities wishing to ride public buses and trains to reach a wide variety of destinations. The course is particularly helpful to persons not eligible for paratransit curb-to-curb service, or those eligible to use curb-to-curb service only for specific trips such as medical appointments.

Travel Training graduates say the instruction opens doors to:
  • Additional independent living skills
  • Increased independence
  • Greater opportunities for employment
  • More access to community activities

How The Training Works

Working with a qualified instructor, the participant quickly learns to ride regular route buses and trains.

The one-on-one instruction also teaches participants all of the practical skills to travel the DART System with confidence and safety.

Skills training includes:
  • Purchasing tickets
  • Recognizing bus numbers
  • Proper boarding and departure procedures
  • Landmark identification
  • Proper street crossing skills
  • Emergency procedures
  • Stranger awareness
  • Appropriate social behavior
  • How to determine appropriate routes

Personalized Instruction

Prior to Travel Training, each participant is individually evaluated, and the instruction is specially tailored to meet their specific needs and skill levels. Personalized instruction is provided on a daily basis until the rider feels confident in his or her ability, and demonstrates complete independence in the use of public transit.

Travel Training is open to all individuals with disabilities. It is especially useful to people who easily learn specific destinations and/or general use of the public transit system through consistency and repetition.

For More Information

To sign-up, arrange group in-service or obtain general information, call Travel Training Program at 214-828-8576. The DART TDD number is 214-749-3628.

TRAVEL TRAINING PROGRAM:  INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Travel Training is one-on-one, personalized instruction in the use of public transportation system. This type of instruction includes the practical experience of riding the bus while learning the necessary skills for independent travel.

Skills

Skills included during instruction are:
  • Recognizing bus numbers
  • Proper boarding and departure procedures
  • Landmark identification
  • Proper street crossing skills
  • Emergency procedures
  • Stranger awareness
  • Appropriate social behavior
  • How to determine appropriate routes
The program is implemented in a logical and sequential manner following a model of skills demonstration and phase out. All clients are assessed initially so that individual training programs can be developed to meet their specific needs.

Instruction is provided on a daily basis until the client feels confident in his/her ability and demonstrates complete independence in the use of public transportation.

Travel Training is available to all individuals with disabilities. Through the consistency and repetition of the training, individuals can learn specific destinations and/or general use of the system.

Benefits

The ability to use public transportation opens the door to:
  • Additional independent living skills
  • Increased independence
  • Greater opportunities for employment
  • More access to community activities
DART offers a Travel Training Program which provides specialized training to disabled individuals in the use of public transportation.

Goals

Travel Training utilizes all modes of public transportation:
  1. Fixed Route Buses
  2. DART Rail (Light Rail)
  3. Commuter Rail
The goal of this training is to establish a permanent system-wide program in which all people with disabilities will have access to assistance in learning to use public transit. DART's overall goal is to expand its availability of service to disabled individuals through the provision of an alternative paratransit system.

To make referrals, arrange group in-service or to obtain general information, please contact the Travel Training Program Coordinator, 214-828-8576.

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