April 2006
Providing the Resources and Tools for the Independent Traveler
Did You Know
1. RideWise assists individuals in the
greater Portland Metropolitan area
including but not limited to the
communities of Sandy, Estacada,
Canby, Mulino, Wilsonville, Boring,
Sherwood, and Forest Grove
2. For the month of March, RideWise
received 50% of their referrals from
Clackamas County, 30% from
Washington County, and 20% from
Multnomah County.
3. We have found a great website with
People first language
http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/
4. Our referrals have increase to a point
where we have added an additional
travel trainer. We welcome Christina
Turner to our team.
New Partners
We would like to thank our new partners for
the month of March for helping individuals
become more independent and self-sufficient.
All About Seniors
CCI Enterprises
Central Portland Vocational Rehabilitation
Creekside Village
Developmental Systems, Inc
East Portland Vocational Rehabilitation
Portland Habilitation Center
Self Determination Resources, Inc
Interested in getting involved? To become a
partner, refer a client or sign up for a
presentation about services available, give us a
call.
Q &A with Chris, a Travel
Trainer
Last month we answered the questions; “What
is travel training, Who is eligible, and How
does someone get connected with RideWise?”
We received many great questions and below
are just a few. If you would like a past
newsletter contact us and we will send you one.
Q. Who provides the training?
A. The training is provided by qualified
representatives of RideWise and
RideConnection. All trainers go through a strict
screening process and receive specialized
training. In addition all of the trainers have
copious amounts of experience working with
those living with disabilities and older adults.
Q. If I am TriMet LIFT eligible, will I lose
my eligibility if I start riding the bus?
A. No. If a person is eligible for LIFT, they
may find they prefer to use the fixed route or
light rail for some trips. LIFT would remain a
possibility, regardless.
Have a question for our travel trainers?
Contact us and we may feature your
questions in our next monthly newsletter.
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This Month’s Success Story
This month’s success story is about a 21 year
old woman who has Down Syndrome. She had
previous experiences with riding public
transportation in Clackamas County and using
CAT (Canby Area Transportation), however
her new job training required her to travel to
the Goodwill in Portland. Once she mastered
that route she received a promotion that
required her to travel to Oregon City. The
travel trainer was again able to accommodate
her. She has successfully mastered her route
and is traveling safely and independently.
Overall she is very excited to be riding the bus
alone and proud that she can do it by herself.
Contact Us
To Enroll or ask a question: 503.528.1743
To Volunteer: 503.528.1748
Do you have any suggestions for an
upcoming newsletter?
ridewisenews@rideconnection.org
An electronic version of the newsletter is also
available just email us.
Tips of the Month
• When Travel Training, don't be
afraid to be creative. The ability to
think outside the box is a "must
have" for a successful Travel Trainer
• Involving support staff, care
providers, and family members, and
others in the Travel Training
process can be an enormous benefit
to both the Trainee and the Trainer.
People in an individual's support
network can help the
trainer reinforce new travel-related
ideas and concepts during those times
when the trainee is not on the bus.
• When riding the bus have your exact
fare ready before you leave home.
• Also when using public
transportation, do not engage in
unnecessary conversation with
strangers and do not give out
personal information.
Resources
Below you will find some information/links for
our partners. This month we are providing
information for all of the brokerages that we
have worked with. Brokerages assist in linking
individuals living with disabilities and their
families with community support services and
programs.
Brokerages
Developmental Systems Inc 503.258.2440
http://thementornetwork.com/
Inclusion Inc 503.232.2289
http://www.inclusioninc.org
Self-Determination Resources, Inc.
503.292.7142
http://sdri-pdx.org/
RideWise is a collaborative effort between TriMet and RideConnection to promote independent travel for older
adults and people living with disabilities by providing access to information, training, and support.