WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A small group eagerly waited outside of the Special Needs Support Center as a bus on Advance Transit’s orange line pulled up just before its scheduled stop at 12:03 p.m.
Participants boarded the bus and rode to the Kilton Library in West Lebanon, where they practiced finding bus schedules on transit apps and refueled with pizza.
The event was the second in a free three-part series led by the Special Needs Support Center and Advance Transit, with sponsorship from Vital Communities. The program is designed to create more familiarity with public transportation and make riders with special needs more comfortable using Advance Transit’s services.
Some attendees, like Amanda Cate, of Lebanon, had used the bus to get around before. Cate said that recent construction on her usual route had made it more difficult to plan her trips, which led her to stop taking the bus. Participating in the SNSC program has boosted Cate’s confidence, and she said she hopes to start riding the bus again soon.
Special Needs Support Center Program Director Emma Woloshin said that the organization regularly fields questions about riding with Advance Transit. Woloshin said the pilot program has received positive feedback so far, and she hopes it will continue in the future. “I’m super excited about where this can go,” she said.
During the final session on Friday, participants will learn how to transfer lines and will celebrate completing the program with a trip to Coldstone Creamery in West Lebanon, which can be accessed on Advance Transit’s red line.
