TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Transportation

Planes vs Trains: Which is Best for Blind Travelers?

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Woman looking out the window of a train- her face is reflected in the glass of the window

If you can’t see, you can’t drive. It’s that simple. However, throughout the ages, blind people have found many ways to get around. They are adapters and problem solvers. It’s in their DNA. For long trips, it boils down to just about two options: planes and trains. Throughout this post, the author unpacks three categories for both travel options: price, accessibility, and time required. Let’s see which one comes out on top from the Blind Wanderer.

Our Takeaway: For the Blind Wanderer, here are our pros and cons at a glance. Read More.

Plans for World’s First In-Cabin Wheelchair Airline Announced. Will it Fly?

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The AirCraft Company, a new start-up based in Wichita, Kansas, has revealed its plans to produce a hybrid-electric, 30-seat regional airliner. Called the Pangea SY30J. One thing that might set The AirCraft Company apart from its competition is its focus on accessibility and comfort. Not only will the cabin be more spacious with larger seats for “real-size” people, but it will also be able to accommodate passengers’ wheelchairs inside the cabin. . Read more.

Our Takeaway: This futuristic approach to accessible design is heaven-sent for the disability community but there are still many hurdles on the horizon , for example, funding and FAA approval, before this becomes a reality.

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.