RTC launches mobility training lab to support vulnerable populations

Credit: Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC), in partnership with Opportunity Village (OV), has announced the launch of the agency’s Mobility Training Center on the GO.

This specially retrofitted RTC bus serves as a mobility training lab to help vulnerable populations and those with disabilities navigate the RTC transit system confidently. Artwork created by commissioned artists from the Boyd Gaming Fine & Performing Arts Program at Opportunity Village was unveiled during the event. Caesar G., Sharen G. and Kelly G. were recognised for their work, which is displayed on the vehicle, at bus stops and on buses.

The Mobility Training Center on the GO is equipped to teach vulnerable populations how to use RTC transit services with ease and covers such skills as using the fare box, ticket validator and mobile ticketing system; how to safely enter and exit the bus; how to properly secure mobility devices; how to use the transit guide to plan routes, and more. Training is specially adapted for persons with disabilities, seniors and veterans and is designed to build confidence in using and accessing transit.

RTC received funding for this project from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Mobility for All grant. RTC worked closely with Nevada’s federal delegation and local organisations – including the Nevada Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation (DETR), Workforce Connections and Opportunity Village – on the successful grant process.

“We are committed to helping our community access needed resources and gain the skills that they need to travel safely and independently on the RTC transit system,” said M.J. Maynard, CEO of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. “By working with our partners, key stakeholders and federal agencies, we were able to secure the funds needed to make the Mobility Training Center on the GO a reality for our community. We can’t wait to take our mobility training programme on the road and into neighbourhoods where our training is needed most.”

“As a longtime teacher, community activist and mentor, I have seen first-hand the need for equitable access to transportation and, specifically, transit,” said North Las Vegas City Councilman and RTC Vice Chairman, Isaac Barron. “I applaud RTC for expanding transit access to ensure that everyone in our community, regardless of income or disability, can easily get where they need to go. Without access to transit, many in our community are cut off and disconnected, so this is an essential service.” 

RTC opened its award-winning Mobility Training Center in 2016, enabling customers to access full size transit vehicles, outdoor sights and sounds, all indoors. Customers learn how to plan their trips and navigate the transit system in a contained environment with a team of mobility trainers. More than 4,000 individuals have undergone mobility training and achieved a new level of independence.

With more than 20,000 RTC customers eligible for its paratransit service, RTC provided 1.4 million rides in 2023 to individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities who meet the certification requirements outlined by the FTA. Training provided at RTC’s Mobility Training Center, and now, via its Mobility Training Center on the GO, helps paratransit clients to develop skills to navigate traditional bus services, allowing them to travel independently and expand their transportation options.