Webinar Archive - Transportation

The Accessibility and Disability Policy Webinars are free, real-time captioned sessions held on a monthly basis that cover a variety of topics regarding people with disabilities in ten issue areas. Topics of interest can benefit employers, governmental entities, service providers and individuals with disabilities.

Go back to the main Webinar Archive page.

Flying with Disabilities: An Updated Guide to Air Travel

Presented on December 19, 2023

The holidays make for one of the busiest times for air travel. While this is the peak travel period, many airports are bustling with people travelling to meet up with their friends and families all year long. Airports and airlines have been working to comply with federal laws requiring accessible travel, and with those efforts, there are new changes that travelers with disabilities should learn about to help navigate the world of air travel. We will discuss these features along with old and new challenges that still need to be addressed. New and veteran travelers with disabilities as well as their travel companions are invited to join us for this webinar on Accessible Air Travel.

Presenters:

Eric Lipp, Founder and Executive Director of Open Doors Organization (ODO). With Open Doors Organization, his mission is to make goods and services accessible in travel, tourism, and transportation. He has implemented training across multiple transportation services to educate employees on best practices when it comes to customers with disabilities.

Pat Pound, Consultant for Open Doors Organization (ODO). As part of her work with ODO, Pat has tested airline and airport websites and mobile apps for accessibility, provided guidance to travelers and industry representatives on best practices for travel with vision loss and service dogs, and engaged in multiple Transportation Research Board Projects.

Anthony Brown, ADA Program Manager for the Houston Airport System. Anthony processes accommodation requests and implements accessible policy for the Houston Airport System. He also is responsible for receiving, investigating, and resolving accessibility concerns from customers with disabilities.

Flying with Disabilities Slides

Flying with Disabilities Q&A

Flying with Disabilities Transcript

Accessible Parking in Texas

Presented on September 7, 2023

The Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities (GCPD) Accessibility and Disability Policy Webinar Series brought you a webinar on one of our most requested topics — Accessible Parking in Texas! With a new law on accessible parking passed by the 88th Legislature of Texas, GCPD hosted a webinar on September 7th, 2023 with expert panelists to answer frequently asked questions about accessible parking such as:

• What standards are required for building accessible parking spaces?

• How does the recent law change Accessible Parking?

• How do I qualify for an accessible parking placard or plate?

• What are volunteer parking enforcement programs?

• And many more!!

ASL Interpreters and CART Captioning are provided in this recording.

Panelists:

Marsha Godeaux, Architectural Barriers Program Specialist, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

Chase Bearden, Deputy Executive Director, Coalition of Texans with Disabilities

Stefan Krisch, Registration Services Section Director, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles

Melonie Curry, ParkHouston Senior Staff Analyst, City of Houston

Parking with Texas Accessibility Standards (TDLR) Slides

Recent Parking Law Changes (CTD) Slides

Disabled Parking Placards and Plates (TxDMV) Slides

Establishing a Volunteer Program (City of Houston) Slides

Accessible Parking in Texas Transcript

Paratransit Transportation Solutions for Texans with Disabilities

Presented on December 15, 2021
Paratransit has been a key part of public transportation since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. For people with disabilities, this service enables them to access their community when they are unable to use fixed-route transportation services. If you are new to paratransit or wondering if you qualify, join the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities as we partner with several transit providers for a webinar that delves into what makes paratransit distinct from traditional fixed route systems. In addition, the panel will cover who qualifies for paratransit services, discuss how eligibility is measured and how paratransit services can work in rural parts of the state.

From Accessible Parking to Housing Vouchers: An Overview of Fair Housing Topics

Presented on April 9, 2021
This session will provide participants an overview of fair housing laws and how they impact people with disabilities. Presenters will cover accessible parking, resources for modifications, service animals or emotional support animals, how to make a complaint, and more. Presented by: Nathan Darus, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs; Cate Tracz, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs; and Jeffrey Riddle, Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division.

Creating Opportunities Through Accessible Transportation

Presented on July 29, 2020
Mobility challenges remain a major obstacle for individuals with disabilities. For many, limited transportation options create barriers to economic and social opportunities. Through an increased focus on innovation and harnessing technology, the mobility and transportation industry is able to create new pathways of opportunity for individuals with disabilities.

Curb Ramps, Sidewalks, Oh My! Navigating the public rights of way in Texas

Presented on July 7, 2020
This session discussed the efforts of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to investigate the current state of pedestrian facilities in the public right of way to determine the level of accessibility and to propose remediation required by the ADA Transition Plan.

Texas Driving with Autism Initiative

Presented on November 21, 2019
The Driving with Autism initiative is a first-of-its-kind program out of Texas that is improving the interaction between law enforcement and drivers diagnosed with a communication challenge. Join Jennifer Allen, Executive Director of Aspergers101 and the force behind the initiative as she and the leaders of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Public Safety (Whitney Brewster and Skylor Hearn) share the components of the program in a one-hour webinar. This is an excellent opportunity to learn how to replicate the initiative in your state!

Brought to you as part of the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities’ ongoing accessibility and policy webinar series, we will explore the three components of the Driving with Autism initiative:

Including “Communication Impediment” on a state driver’s license and ID—what does it mean, what constitutes a communication impediment, and how do you market this message statewide?
Texas Law Enforcement Training—what type of training on understanding drivers with a communication is now available in the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) curriculum? What has been the reception to the training so far?
SB 976: The Samuel Allen Law—Texas drivers now have an option to place “communication impediment” in the Texas Law Enforcement Communication System (TLETS), which will alert officers prior to approaching the vehicle during a traffic stop. What does this mean for both officers and drivers?

Accessible Parking: Enforcement

Presented on March 20, 2018
Enforcement is a critical component of disabled parking abuse prevention. Texas law grants enforcement authorization to establish citizen volunteer enforcement programs. Constable 5 was the first in Travis County government to start such a program. Now entering its 23rd year, Disabled Parking Enforcement continues its commitment to provide equal access to citizens with disabilities. Join Constable 5 staff as they present an overview of disabled parking laws and describe how their volunteer program works.

In addition, Mack Marsh with Access Empowerment will join the session. Mack will share information about Parking Mobility, an education and enforcement program, designed to efficiently address accessible parking abuse in your community. Innovative technology, citizen engagement and effective education has proven to reduce accessible parking abuse and recidivism.