Podcast: Advancing Accessibility in Transportation

The latest episode of the “Stream by AASHTO” podcast features an interview with Alan Hejl, founder and lead consultant of Spark Access; a company that helps people with disabilities gain more mobility options to help foster a greater sense of belonging and inclusion for them more broadly in society.

[Above graphic by AASHTO]

This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state departments of transportation and the infrastructure programs they oversee.

In this podcast episode, Hejl explains that the mission of Spark Access is to foster more awareness, accessibility, and inclusion for the disabled community within the mobility industry. The firm’s advocacy efforts focus on helping people with both visible and hidden disabilities gain more transportation options to fit their travel needs.

Also on the podcast, Hejl talks about how his work at General Motors helped open his eyes to the wide range of mobility issues people with disabilities face – a passion that deepened and became more personal in light of the mobility struggles faced by his wheelchair-bound wife.

He discusses how different kinds of disabilities can impact transportation options; how transportation systems are often built with the needs of disabled travelers as an afterthought; and how autonomous vehicles can offer the disabled greater travel opportunities if they meet their accessibility needs.

To listen to the full podcast episode, click here.