Travel training aims to help those who need extra assistance and support to make journeys safely on their own.
Travel training tends to be delivered on a one to one or group basis, in order to meet the needs and abilities of each trainee.
Travel training can include a wide range of support by:
- Providing short term training to familiarise people with how public transport works in their area and giving them the confidence to use it; or
- Providing longer term, regular, intensive one-to-one training to also learn important road safety and personal awareness skills.
Travel training can assist people of all ages, abilities and needs, who suffer from a lack of road safety awareness and knowledge of how to travel by public transport. Travel training is particularly beneficial to individuals who have Additional Learning Needs (ALN).
Such individuals are often transported by arranged taxi until they leave school. Access to further education, work placements, training and other life opportunities can then become very daunting because they have no prior experience in preparing and planning journeys independently. Many will be unfamiliar with where to find the information or advice or even the skills to make journeys themselves.
Travel training can also be useful for individuals who are having difficulties getting around due to a recent disability or illness.