<div dir="ltr"><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks for your work on integrating Aira into state facilities and services!</div><div>Dan</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Sep 17, 2026 at 9:34\u202fAM THERESA MONTANO via Colorado-Talk <<a href="mailto:colorado-talk@nfbnet.org">colorado-talk@nfbnet.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div class="msg-4249229975073879699">
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello friends,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am sharing the Press Release distributed last week for the launch of Aira on Bustang routes. We, at the Governor\u2019s 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.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">See you all at state convention!<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, September 9, 2026 Bob Wilson (CDOT) |
<a href="mailto:bob.j.wilson@state.co.us" target="_blank">bob.j.wilson@state.co.us</a> | <a href="tel:(303)%20916-1456" value="+13039161456" target="_blank">303-916-1456</a> Maddy Remington (Lt. Governor\u2019s Office) |
<a href="mailto:madelyn.remington@state.co.us" target="_blank">madelyn.remington@state.co.us</a> | <a href="tel:(720)%20812-3380" value="+17208123380" target="_blank">720-812-3380</a> Bustang Adds On-Demand Visual and ASL Interpreting for Blind, Low Vision, Deaf, and Hard of Hearing Riders DENVER \u2013 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. \u201cBustang 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,\u201d said Colorado
Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera. \u201cWith 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 \u2014 and it reflects the work we're doing across this administration to make Colorado the best state for people with disabilities to live.\u201d 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\u2019s 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\u2019s 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. \u201cThis 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,\u201d said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew.
\u201cI\u2019m proud that CDOT is participating in this program and look forward to travelers taking advantage of the new features that Aira provides.\u201d \u201cAs 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.\u201d said Theresa Montano, Senior Solutions Architect of Accessibility for the Office of Information Technology. \u201cThe Deaf community tells us constantly that on-demand ASL access has to be there from
day one, not added in later,\u201d said Henri Grau, Aira\u2019s Director of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community Engagement. \u201cBustang got that right \u2014 Aira ASL launched alongside Aira Explorer as a core part of this partnership, and that\u2019s the model we want other states
to follow.\u201d 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
<a href="http://www.ridebustang.com" target="_blank">www.ridebustang.com</a>. ### <a href="http://Ltgovernor.colorado.gov" target="_blank">Ltgovernor.colorado.gov</a><u></u><u></u></p>
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</div></blockquote></div><div><br clear="all"></div><br><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature">Dan Burke<br><br>National Federation of the Blind of Colorado Legislative Co-chair <br><br>"Blindness is not what holds you back. You can live the life you want!"<br><br>My Cell: 406.546.8546<br><br></div>