Getting around Colorado is becoming more accessible.
New tools available to Bustang passengers are helping remove barriers for riders who are blind, have low vision, or are deaf or hard of hearing by providing on-demand navigation and communication support.
Today, Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera, the Colorado Department of Transportation, and the Office of Information Technology, in partnership with Bustang and Aira, announced new accessibility features for passengers who are blind/low vision (BLV) or deaf/hard of hearing (DHH). Bustang passengers can now access live navigation through state facilities using Aira Explorer, and on-demand American Sign Language interpreting using Aira ASL, two new free digital tools available in the Airia app. The service connects users to live, professionally trained interpreters for travel information through their phones.
“Bustang has been a game changer in terms of transportation for Coloradans with disabilities since its inception, and the addition of Aira access further increases accessibility to every Bustang line,” said Colorado Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera. “With this added service, Colorado is making sure riders who are blind or have low vision can get from the stop to the seat on their own terms. This is exactly the kind of practical, everyday accessibility that builds real independence — and it reflects the work we’re doing across this administration to make Colorado the best state for people with disabilities to live.”
Aira ASL and Aira Explorer
Aira ASL and Aira Explorer are digital tools available through a free app. Users can use Aira Explorer to connect to a visual interpreter who facilitates navigation using the caller’s phone camera and audio, and users can use Aira ASL to connect to a sign language interpreter for on-demand communication support.
Both are available at state facilities along Bustang routes, stops, onboard, and at transfer locations, with additional locations to be added soon.
The launch comes as Aira marks more than four years of partnership with the Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) to remove barriers to state services and truly build a Colorado for All.
Previous implementations have connected Coloradans to services at the History Colorado Center, the State Capitol Complex and the Colorado State Fair. Providing Aira services for Bustang riders extends the mission of this partnership to riders for whom fixed-route transit has long carried a hidden barrier: the visual information needed to travel confidently. Identifying which bus has arrived, finding the door, reading a posted schedule change, or locating a connecting platform can stop an independent trip before it starts. Aira removes that barrier across the corridor at once.
According to the Center for Research on Disability, 123,000 to 150,000 Coloradans have a vision disability. ASL is the third-most common language in the United States and approximately 756,000 are deaf or hard of hearing according to the Colorado Division of the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind. The addition of Aira Explorer and Aira ASL access for Bustang passengers strengthens efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable Colorado for All.
“This service is truly an innovative way for us to make Bustang more inclusive, so that even more Coloradans and visitors can make full use of great travel options,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “I’m proud that CDOT is participating in this program and look forward to travelers taking advantage of the new features that Aira provides.”
“As the Senior Solutions Architect of Accessibility for Colorado and as a skier who is blind, I am thrilled that Bustang routes to mountain resorts are now fully accessible for the upcoming ski season. With ASL on Demand and Aira Explorer on all Bustang routes, Deaf, blind, and low-vision riders can travel to the slopes with confidence. This is true inclusion in motion, making the mountains accessible to all this winter and year-round,” said Theresa Montano, Senior Solutions Architect of Accessibility for the Office of Information Technology.
“The Deaf community tells us constantly that on-demand ASL access has to be there from day one, not added in later,” said Henri Grau, Aira’s Director of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community Engagement. “Bustang got that right — Aira ASL launched alongside Aira Explorer as a core part of this partnership, and that’s the model we want other states to follow.”
Planning for Connectivity
Like all apps that depend on video, a solid cellular connection is required to fully take advantage of Aira services in more secluded areas. With Bustang traveling through many remote locations across the state, and with Aira ASL relying on streaming video, users should plan to ensure their devices are fully charged and consider bringing a backup power source to prepare for extended connectivity.
Learn more about how to access and use Aira ASL on the OIT website and download the app from a mobile device. For the latest information on riding Bustang, including route schedules, fares, and ticket purchases, please visit www.ridebustang.com.