[nfb-talk] Need Advice: Transit District Schedule Accessibility

[Reyazuddin, Yasmin]

Hi Tina, 
Here in Montgomery county Maryland our local bus service has descriptive
bus schedules on the website. They decided not to do them in Braille or
audio. I helped the web master to test the system to approve it. You are
welcome to take a look and also recommend to your local department. 
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rideon

Yasmin Reyazuddin 
Information & Referral unit 
Department of Health & human services 
401 Hungerford Drive (1st floor) 
Rockville MD 20850 
Phone 240-777-1245 (info line) 
240-777-1556 (personal line) 
Fax: 240-777-4636 
TTY: 240-777-1295 

Office hours 8:30 am to 5:00 pm 

Languages English, Hindi, Urdu 

This message may contain protected health information or other
information that is confidential or privileged. If you are not the
intended recipient, please contact the sender by return mail and destroy
any copies of this material. 

Thank you.


-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Tina Hansen
Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 2:29 AM
To: nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfb-talk] Need Advice: Transit District Schedule Accessibility

In my area, our transit system has undergone a massive redesign, the
first in 30 years. With this comes new schedules. Unfortunately, the
web-based schedules are in PDF format only. While I know that there have
been attempts to make these documents accessible, it's not always easy.
There are also maps of the new routes, and those are not easy for screen
readers to cope with.

Given this issue, I'd like to hear what others have done or are doing to
ensure that these transit schedules are accessible. I have thought about
Braille and/or audio schedules, and I'd love to work with the transit
district, but I don't know where to begin. I have also thought about the
Customer Service line, but that only works when the center is open; it
doesn't work after hours. What about automated schedule phone lines?

Given what's happening, does anyone out there have any suggestions on
how I can work with the transit district to guide them in offering truly
accessible bus schedules? What can I do to help them offer good
descriptions of  where the routes stop? If you've done something with
your local transit district, what did you come up with? If you have any
suggestions, I'd be interested in hearing them. Thanks.
_______________________________________________
nfb-talk mailing list
nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org