CHS students participate in STA mobility training

Cheney High School students and staff may have noticed an STA bus in the parking lot during school, Sept. 30.

The bus was a part of a special class session for a select group of high school students who are in the CAPSTONE (Cheney Achievement Program Students Transitioning Onto New Endeavors) and Foundation Support programs.

Students from both programs took part in STA’s mobility training program, which helps seniors and persons with disabilities gain more independence by assisting them in becoming fixed route bus riders. Aubra Pollack, who teaches the CAPSTONE classes, said many students work at local jobsites. They will often use the transit system to get to their jobs.

“A lot of our students may never get a driver’s license or have access to a car,” Pollack said. “One of the options for these students is riding the bus, and the other is access to paratransit.”

Pollack said mobility training for students can take up to 30 hours. She and staff want to make sure students are comfortable using the bus and STA Route 68, which is the Cheney loop. She added that 10-15 percent of the students are independent and can ride the bus into Spokane.

“Learning these skills also lets them say ‘I have some independence in a safe structure,’” Pollack said. “One of our goals is to instill that degree of independence.”

During the mobility training, students learned bus safety, etiquette and to watch out for landmarks that are close to their stop. They also learned about reduced fares and acquiring a Smart Card, which they will receive when they go to the bus plaza in downtown Spokane, and participated in a scavenger hunt where they identified different bus features.

Mobility trainers gave demonstrations on the importance of using the front and back doors and alerting the driver if they are having a medical emergency, or when another passenger is harassing them.

“It’s all good information,” Pollack said. “Kids feel comfortable and know where their stop is and having that confidence is awesome.”

Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.