Summary
The borough of Westwood is fortunate to be located on a major transit hub with rail and bus lines that can take riders into major terminal hubs that lead to Manhattan, Newark, the New Jersey shoreline, and so much more. But for many older residents, just trying to navigate the public transportation system can be a daunting endeavor. There are multiple busses and trains going in and out of the borough each day but knowing exactly how to access schedule information, routes, where to disembark, and so on has kept many older residents from venturing out beyond their immediate community to visit friends, relatives or enjoy all that New Jersey and much of New York has to offer.
As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance mobility options for older residents, Westwood for All Ages has partnered with NJTIP@Rutgers, an organization dedicated to expanding mobility for people with disabilities and seniors, to teach older residents everything they need to know on how to make most of the public transit system. This includes the use of smart phone apps for schedules, taking advantage of senior discount fares, purchasing tickets at the kiosks, learning how to read the various schedules and make connections, how to utilize assistive methods for boarding and de-boarding the train, and so much more. The training culminates with a “field trip” from the Westwood train station to the train terminal at Secaucus, NJ where they discover how to transfer to the many other destination points, including Manhattan and enjoy a nice lunch at the terminal before heading back home.
Website: http://westwoodforallages.org
Key facts
Main target group: Older people in general
Sector(s): Transportation
Desired outcome for older people:
Be mobile
- Accessibility
- Technologies