NJ Transit conducts its first public forum on accessibility

New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) hosted its first accessibility form to engage and expand inclusion for customers with disabilities. 

The forum was held primarily as a virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams.

“NJ Transit is proud to have hosted the agency’s first ever accessibility forum to detail and promote the many services and programs that make our system as accessible and inviting to as many individuals as possible,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “This forum was also an opportunity to engage with the public in order to provide the strongest possible service to New Jerseyans with disabilities.”

During the forum, NJ Transit showcased its accessibility efforts from all facets of the organization. The forum provided the opportunity to educate and inform participants about the many ways NJ Transit aims to provide a world-class travel experience for customers with disabilities. The forum gave members of the public the opportunity to provide comments, offer feedback and ask questions related to NJ Transit’s accessible services.

NJ Transit used the opportunity of the Accessibility Forum to showcase its revamped accessibility-related website content and user experience, as well as its latest innovative partnership with Magnusmode.

Through its partnership with Magnusmode, NJ Transit is assisting autistic and neurodiverse customers with the help of MagnusCards, a free mobile app that combines the instruction of an autism educational specialist with real-world images that aid anyone who could use extra guidance to navigate everyday travel experiences. Specifically, the partnership with Magnusmode initially creates a set of five MagnusCards “decks” to guide individuals through various aspects of riding NJ Transit buses. Each deck provides step-by-step visual, audio and text instructions that set expectations and help ease anxiety. Funding for Magnusmode was provided by the Senior Citizen & Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Program (SCDRTAP).

The webpage features a new overview video about the many services and features of NJ Transit that make it accessible to all individuals, as well as easy-to-use links to specific information and informational videos, which are captioned in six languages in addition to English.

The videos, funded by the Federal Transit Administration’s Access and Mobility Partnership Grants program, cover several topics including information about vehicle and station accessibility, the Reduced Fare Program, community transportation services and NJ TRANSIT’s Access Link paratransit service, including Access Link Online, where Access Link customers can manage their reservations and accounts.

Customers who were not able to attend the virtual meeting can view the presentation on NJ Transit's website.