October 2020 marked the 10th anniversary of the Transportation Autism Project at CAIT. This webinar focused on the first ten years of innovative work from the Center making transportation accessible for those on the autism spectrum. Led by Project Manager Dr. Cecilia Feeley, the program has amassed a number of awards and recognitions over the years, alongside taking part in important research that has shaped policy and technology.
In this webinar, Dr. Feeley highlighted those successes and provided an overview on the project—ranging from hosting the first dedicated conference on transportation needs and options for persons on the autism spectrum in 2011 to winning the Best Paper in Public Transportation at the TRB 2020 Annual Meeting. She also reviewed the NJ statewide study and its results, including the Public Law 053 that calls for a multi-agency task force addressing the transportation and secondary support service needs of adults on the autism spectrum. Finally, Dr. Feeley reviewed technological innovations from the Project including highlighted collaborations such as Autonomous Vehicles and Shuttles with Princeton University, developing Virtual Reality programs to teach pedestrian skills with the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services, and developing and testing mobile apps to aid in navigation with CUNY.
