This month, Metro has collaborated with 26 individuals with autism to deliver boarding and safety announcements across its transit system as part of Autism Acceptance Month. This marks the first time the transit agency has engaged in the Autism Transit Project aimed at raising awareness about autism.
Expressing Metro's commitment to this initiative, General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke stated, "Metro is proud to support the Autism Transit Project and appreciates the young transit enthusiasts for leveraging their voices and unique talents to raise awareness about autism among our Metro customers."
Michael Nix-Spain, reflecting on his participation, remarked, "I’m one of the first children, one of the first teenagers to do it, and I have autism." His father, Anthony Spain, added, "It draws attention and awareness to autism."
The brainchild behind the Autism Transit Project, Jonathan Trichter, devised the concept to instill confidence in message recorders while fostering understanding among regular commuters. "Which then, of course, prompts regular riders to consider children who are neurologically different and perhaps understand better that they are different but similar and no less," Trichter explained.
Anthony Spain expressed pride in his son, saying, "This is a young man that I’m proud of every single day. He has a part-time job that he does, biking around making Uber Eats deliveries to make spending money, and he shows responsibility."
Reflecting on his journey, Michael added, "I’m pretty impressed with how far I’ve come."
Public transportation plays a crucial role for individuals like Michael to navigate their way to employment and integrate into society. Trichter highlighted the progress made in recent years, stating, "Ten or 15 years ago, we used to warehouse a lot of these kids and leave them to their own devices. Today, we challenge them; we try to advance them."
Trichter aims to expand the program globally next year, extending its reach to other countries.