[Colorado-Talk] Bustang and Aira live- press release

[Dan Burke]

Very nice! We took Bustang to Frisco last week and we might have used it
had we known. But no worries, we traveled confidently and had a great time.

Thanks for your work on integrating Aira into state facilities and services!
Dan

On Thu, Sep 17, 2026 at 9:34 AM THERESA MONTANO via Colorado-Talk <
colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hello friends,
>
> I am sharing the Press Release distributed last week for the launch of
> Aira on Bustang routes.  We, at the Governor’s Office of Information
> Technology and my office of Technology Accessibility Program, have secured
> a grant to offer these services to CDOT for all Bustang routes.
>
> Please feel free to use these access offers at the terminals, on your way
> to find the bus etc. as long as it is in the spirit of your Bustang journey.
>
>
>
> See you all at state convention!
>
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, September 9, 2026 Bob Wilson (CDOT) |
> bob.j.wilson at state.co.us | 303-916-1456 <(303)%20916-1456> Maddy
> Remington (Lt. Governor’s Office) | madelyn.remington at state.co.us |
> 720-812-3380 <(720)%20812-3380> Bustang Adds On-Demand Visual and ASL
> Interpreting for Blind, Low Vision, Deaf, and Hard of Hearing Riders DENVER
> – Today, Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera, the Colorado Department of
> Transportation, and the Office of Information Technology, in partnership
> with Bustang and Aira, announced new accessibility features for passengers
> who are blind/low vision (BLV) or deaf/hard of hearing (DHH). Bustang
> passengers can now access live navigation through state facilities using
> Aira Explorer, and on-demand American Sign Language interpreting using Aira
> ASL, two new free digital tools available in the Aria app. The service
> connects users to live, professionally trained interpreters for travel
> information through their phones. “Bustang has been a game changer in terms
> of transportation for Coloradans with disabilities since its inception, and
> the addition of Aira access further increases accessibility to every
> Bustang line,” said Colorado Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera. “With
> this added service, Colorado is making sure riders who are blind or have
> low vision can get from the stop to the seat on their own terms. This is
> exactly the kind of practical, everyday accessibility that builds real
> independence — and it reflects the work we're doing across this
> administration to make Colorado the best state for people with disabilities
> to live.” Aira ASL and Aira Explorer are digital tools available through a
> free app. Users can use Aira Explorer to connect to a visual interpreter
> who facilitates navigation using the caller’s phone camera and audio, and
> users can use Aira ASL to connect to a sign language interpreter for
> on-demand communication support. Both are available at state facilities
> along Bustang routes, stops, onboard, and at transfer locations, with
> additional locations to be added soon. The launch comes as Aira marks more
> than four years of partnership with the Governor’s Office of Information
> Technology (OIT) to remove barriers to state services and truly build a
> Colorado for All. Previous implementations have connected Coloradans to
> services at the History Colorado Center, the State Capitol Complex and the
> Colorado State Fair. Providing Aira services for Bustang riders extends the
> mission of this partnership to riders for whom fixed-route transit has long
> carried a hidden barrier: the visual information needed to travel
> confidently. Identifying which bus has arrived, finding the door, reading a
> posted schedule change, or locating a connecting platform can stop an
> independent trip before it starts. Aira removes that barrier across the
> corridor at once. According to the Center for Research on Disability,
> 123,000 to 150,000 Coloradans have a vision disability. ASL is the
> third-most common language in the United States and approximately 756,000
> are deaf or hard of hearing according to the Colorado Division of the Deaf,
> Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind. The addition of Aira Explorer and Aira ASL
> access for Bustang passengers strengthens efforts to create a more
> inclusive and equitable Colorado for All.  “This service is truly an
> innovative way for us to make Bustang more inclusive, so that even more
> Coloradans and visitors can make full use of great travel options,” said
> CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “I’m proud that CDOT is participating
> in this program and look forward to travelers taking advantage of the new
> features that Aira provides.” “As the Senior Solutions Architect of
> Accessibility for Colorado and as a skier who is blind, I am thrilled that
> Bustang routes to mountain resorts are now fully accessible for the
> upcoming ski season. With ASL on Demand and Aira Explorer on all Bustang
> routes, Deaf, blind, and low-vision riders can travel to the slopes with
> confidence. This is true inclusion in motion, making the mountains
> accessible to all this winter and year round.” said Theresa Montano,
>  Senior Solutions Architect of Accessibility for the Office of Information
> Technology. “The Deaf community tells us constantly that on-demand ASL
> access has to be there from day one, not added in later,” said Henri Grau,
> Aira’s Director of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community Engagement. “Bustang
> got that right — Aira ASL launched alongside Aira Explorer as a core part
> of this partnership, and that’s the model we want other states to follow.”
> Like all apps th      at depend on video, a solid cellular connection is
> required to fully take advantage of Aira services in more secluded areas.
> With Bustang traveling through many remote locations across the state, and
> with Aira ASL relying on streaming video, users should plan to ensure their
> devices are fully charged and consider bringing a backup power source to
> prepare for extended connectivity. Learn more about how to access and use
> Aira ASL on the OIT website and download the app from a mobile device. For
> the latest information on riding Bustang, including route schedules, fares,
> and ticket purchases, please visit www.ridebustang.com. ###
> Ltgovernor.colorado.gov
>
>
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-- 
Dan Burke

National Federation of the Blind of Colorado Legislative Co-chair

"Blindness is not what holds you back.  You can live the life you want!"

My Cell:  406.546.8546
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