Community Corner
Training Puts Autistic Teen on Path to Independence
RTA program teaches seniors and disabled residents how to ride the bus
Rocio Castellanos had second thoughts about letting her son Ricky ride the bus. After all, Ricky, who is 18 and has autism, never really travelled alone before — let alone taken a trip on the bus alone.
Turns out mom didn’t need to worry at all. Thanks to RTA’s Travel Training Program, Ricky was given all the tools he needed to ride the bus. He also earned a newfound sense of freedom that he didn’t have before.
The award-winning program teaches seniors and persons with disabilities how to pay their fares, read schedules and get to their destinations safely. During his three weeks with Travel Training Specialist Robert Rowland, Ricky was not only taught the basics of riding the bus, but, more practically, how to transfer from Route 1 to Route 13 to get to a class in Riverside where he is learning crucial job skills.
For Ricky, the training means he can be independent like other people his age. For his mom, the training has opened the doors in unexpected ways.
“This was such a huge step for the family,” she said. “Our son has a new boost of confidence; he feels like he is just like the other kids. This whole experience has taught me that my son is capable of doing extraordinary things that I didn’t think he was capable of.”
Ricky isn’t the only one benefitting from the program, which launched in 2011. Last year, more than 400 people participated in the training and both new and former trainees took more than 95,000 trips on RTA buses.
The Riverside Transit Agency provides public transportation for Western Riverside County, operating 39 fixed routes, eight express routes and Dial-A-Ride service. RTA’s service area spans 2,500 square miles, among the largest in the nation. For bus route and schedule information contact RTA at (951) 565-5002 or go to www.RiversideTransit.com.
