If your community is ready to tackle accessible transportation challenges and engage local leaders in the process, Project ACTION is ready to support your community! Ten communities across the United States will be selected to participate in the Accessible Transportation Coalitions Initiative (ATCI), a one-year systems change process designed to improve accessible transportation options for people with disabilities. Selected coalitions will receive on-site facilitation at a two-day event held in your local community at which coalitions will either build on or create a new plan to address transportation issues. Each accessible transportation coalition is a group of 15 to 25 leaders including transportation providers, people with disabilities who use public transportation, planners and engineers, public officials, and other highly engaged leaders in the community.

ESPA’s commitment to each community is to provide one year of individualized follow-up technical assistance and to support the coalition in implementing the plan that was created or refined during the two-day ATCI event.  The coalition should be prepared to implement the objectives and steps in their plan, expand the coalition as needed to get the work done, revise the plan to reflect real life efforts in the community, and share successes, challenges and solutions with ESPA.

In order to be considered for the ATCI event, the completed application must be submitted on or before January 31, 2011. Additional information, requirements, and application materials are available on the ESPA site. If you have questions about ATCI, contact Kristi Ross at 800-659-6428 or ATCI@easterseals.com.