Guide: Transportation

A major challenge many with vision loss experience is transportation. Luckily, there are many services and certain rights people who are blind or visually impaired have. The resources below are a great start to finding the best way to travel.

• Planning a little early and making reservations prior to travel will make travel easier.
• Ask friends/family members to be volunteer drivers for some scheduled events, such as grocery shopping or doctor visits. Maintaining a consistent schedule (e.g., every Tuesday at 6pm we go to the grocery store) will be helpful. Most friends, family members and neighbors want to help!
• Local village and ride-sharing programs in your county or neighborhood are happy to help and are constantly evolving. Contact your county’s Senior and Disability County office.
• Many taxicab companies have programs available for people with disabilities and older adults. Call your local taxi service to see what they offer.
• Ride-sharing companies, such as Uber or Lyft, are available at your request.
• Air Travel: Getting around an airport can be an intimidating experience for everyone. Contact your specific airline for accommodations, sign up for TSA CARES (listed below), and call the airport customer service line 24 hours prior to your flight and request navigation assistance.
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives you the right to have accessible public transportation, trains and airplanes. In the Greater Washington metropolitan area, MetroAccess ParaTransit is a parallel transit system for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Guest services can provide a sighted guide at train stations and airports to help you navigate.