(L to R) Braille Institute students Imelda Mercado, Leandro Guerrero, Miguel Lopez, Oscar Marquez, and Kaci Littlejohn participate in hands-on demonstration with MTD. Courtesy photo.
OXNARD — An innovative collaboration with Santa Barbara MTD provided an interactive demonstration to help blind and low-vision Braille Institute students build confidence and increase safety when using public transportation.
MTD brought a full-sized passenger bus to the Braille Institute, which allowed students to get hands-on and comfortable using their orientation and mobility skills.
“This collaboration with MTD is a great of example of many community resources we have the privilege of extending to the approximately 3,000 people in our community affected by blindness or low-vision,” said Michael Lazarovits, Executive Director of Braille Institute Santa Barbara. “We are grateful for these organizations in aligning with our mission to empower so many people to lead independent, enriched and fulfilling lives.”
The demonstration was guided by an MTD bus driver who discussed useful tips and techniques for getting around Santa Barbara. Students were able to try accessibility features, including a system that allows each bus in the MTD fleet to kneel down to street level, with left-hand handlebar. MTD busses also use auditory signals and announce their route number upon arrival at every pick-up and stop.
About Braille Institute: Braille Institute is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate barriers to a fulfilling life caused by blindness and severe sight loss. It serves tens of thousands of people of all ages each year through a broad range of educational, social and recreational programs and services designed to help people of all ages with vision loss lead enriched and fulfilling lives. Funded entirely by private donations, all services are completely free-of-charge. Braille Institute Santa Barbara is online at www.brailleinstitute.org/santabarbara, on Facebook (BrailleInstitute) and Twitter (@BrailleInst).