September 28, 2023

A lack of reliable transportation often creates a huge barrier to employment for people with autism. Many people with disabilities don’t get the opportunity to learn to take public transportation, preventing them from getting jobs in their communities. Project Career Launch tackles this challenge by providing travel training to every single student, teaching them how to take SEPTA in Philadelphia to get to and from internships and out and about in the community. This week, following a summer of travel training, students from Project Career Launch visited SEPTA’s Accessible Travel Center at Suburban Station to learn more about what resources SEPTA offers.

SEPTA’s Accessible Travel Center staff introduced students to various resources, including the SEPTA app, which allows students to plan trips, estimate arrival time, and access schedules for buses and trains around Philadelphia. Students also practiced safe boarding and requesting stops in a mock SEPTA bus complete with fare box. The mock bus even made stop announcements, allowing the students to become familiar with the sights and sounds of public transit. This experience, combined with travel training, will enable many Project Career Launch students to travel independently to internships, employment sites, and classes.  

Project Career Launch at Drexel University is a school-to-work transition program to prepare young adults on the autism spectrum for career-focused employment.

Transition Pathways provides experiential learning to students with autism and/or intellectual disabilities with a goal of sustainable, competitive employment in the community.

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