TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Transportation

What is the Accessibility Gap?

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According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 15% of the global population has a disability. Furthermore, the National Household Travel Survey indicates that 25.5 million Americans have disabilities that hinder their ability to travel. 

Travel has numerous benefits, including stress relief, mental health, physical health, education, personal growth, creating memories, improving relationships and career advancement. 

Unfortunately, a lack of general accessibility in the travel industry means these advantages are out of reach. So, what is being done and what can be done to alleviate this situation? Read More.

Our Takeaway: Due to abundant mainstream media coverage around accessibility, the travel industry is finally awakening to that fact that outmoded ADA regulations are only a baseline and there are encouragingly easy and affordable ways to fill the gap.

Autonomous Shuttles with Accessibility Coming to US Cities

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photo of autonomous accessible shuttle -grey color with red acc ents large windows

The rise of electric vehicles has resulted in increased communication within the vehicle; everything from opening and closing windows to automated driving features to infotainment to passenger comfort is controlled via computers. Instead of piling electronic control units (ECU) — which historically have handled one function at a time — on top of each other, suppliers are converging them into so-called supercomputers. ZF’s Pro AI supercomputer combines multiple systems-on-a-chip (SoC) from different suppliers into one hardware unit that’s more efficient, takes up less space (the new ProAI is 12 by 6 by 6 inches) and eases supply constraints.

TravelAbility Insider Insight: Accessible ground transportation is one of the primary barriers for wheelchair travelers. While these beautiful and futuristically designed shuttle vans are primarily being released in Europe right now, they will have a ready market in the U.S. as accessible Airport shuttles. Read more.

Department of Commerce Appoints 3 TravelAbility presenters to U.S. Tour and Travel Advisory Board

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White House icon on blue background.with texgt saying White House, Washington
White House, Washjngton DC logo

Congratulations to Advisory Board members Eric Lipp, founder of Open Doors Organization and emeritus member, John Sage, founder of Accessible Travel Solutions, both wheelchair users and legends in the accessible travel industry, who along with Andrew Leary, Director of Sustainable Travel and Partnerships for Leave No Trace were appointed by Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo to the U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. They join other industry leaders such as the CEO’s of Airbnb, Booking.com, TripAdvisor and Expedia. See the full list of members here.

TravelAbility Insider Insight: Having two legends who’ve been deeply involved in accessible travel for over twenty years with a seat at the table contributing to future travel policy is a big win for the future of accessible travel and an acknowledgement that travelers with disabilities are an important segment for the future of the industry. 

Dubai Airport Launches New Initiatives for People withHidden Disabilities

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Dubai Airport is introducing a comprehensive new program to ensure the delivery of a sector-leading, inclusive, and seamless travel experience for all People of Determination (POD) with hidden disabilities that travel through Dubai International (DXB).

As part of Dubai Airport’s shared values ‘We all meet the world differently’, this new initiative will contribute to the UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021 vision for Dubai to be the world’s leading disability-friendly city and barrier-free community empowering and welcoming all POD travelers. Read more.

Gotcha! Spanish City uses Sensors to Discipline Handicap Parking Cheats

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The installation of smart sensors on disability parking spots has begun in the Spanish Basque city of San Sebastian aiming to have 350 such devices operational. The purpose is to prevent or at least lessen the possibility of having other drivers occupy these spaces illegally and bring about more social justice in the traffic environment. What’s more, the U-Spot M2M sensors will indicate to drivers of reduced mobility status the availability and location of nearby parking spots that have been set aside for them. Read more.

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