The V.I. Government’s Americans with Disabilities Act office will offer free training for V.I. taxi drivers on how to best accommodate disabled passengers.
The disability sensitivity training workshops, scheduled for December and January, aim to help the territory’s taxi drivers better understand the needs and challenges of passengers who struggle with various disabilities, making travel around the islands easier and more dignified for both Virgin Islanders and tourists with special needs, according to Government House.
The workshops will focus on communicating effectively with disabled passengers, give guidelines on proper etiquette and discuss federal laws that apply to guide dogs.
“Every year, thousands of travelers with disabilities … rely on the taxi system to get around the islands so they can have a great vacation …. These workshops will educate the drivers on how best to accommodate people with different disabilities, so as to ensure everyone can get around the islands without complication” Gov. John deJongh Jr. said in a statement on the workshops.
The workshops, offered in partnership with the V.I. Taxi Association, will be Dec. 17 on St. Thomas and in the second week of January on St. Croix at a date to be determined.
