Transforming the Mobility Industry E3
Host David Steinmetz and special guest Ron Brooks, founder and CEO of Accessible Avenue were in studio discussing the transformation of transportation and mobility for people with disabilities.
Ron stated that “transportation must be simple, stress-free and accessible for all.”
This show will help public and private sector transportation professionals gain a better understanding of the importance of providing safe, accessible, reliable and affordable transportation for people with disabilities.
Accessible Avenue exists to make transportation and mobility more accessible for people with disabilities. The approach for achieving this mission is two-fold. First, Accessible Avenue provides consulting and training services to transportation and mobility providers so they can deliver products and services that are accessible for everyone including people with disabilities.
Second, Accessible Avenue provides training and assistance to individuals and community-based organizations so they can take full advantage of currently available transportation-related products and services, resolve challenges when they arise, and advocate for more and better services in the future.
Current Accessible Avenue clients include transit agencies, mobility providers, technology providers and consulting companies who need help with ADA compliance, general accessibility, and disability community engagement.
The company has also partnered with the American Council of the Blind to launch a monthly Internet radio call-in show called “Untangling Transportation,” where blind/low vision callers can get help with individual transportation challenges associated with public transit, paratransit, taxicabs, rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft, and other transportation services.
Ron Brooks is a writer, speaker, entrepreneur and evangelist for the transformation of mobility for people with disabilities.
A graduate of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in Indianapolis, Ron has 28 years of planning, management and executive-level experience for both public transit agencies and private providers within the areas of accessible transit and paratransit.
In 2020, Ron founded Accessible Avenue where he is able to draw upon his life and industry experience to provide accessibility-focused training and consulting services to agencies and organizations designing, developing and delivering products and services that support the movement of people within indoor and outdoor spaces and on all forms of public and retail ground transportation.
In addition, Ron is very involved in the disability community. He is a member of the American Council of the Blind, a current Board member of Penny Forward which provides financial coaching and training to individuals who are blind, and a past Board member of Ability360, one of the largest Independent Living Centers in the country, and the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired which provides an array of independent living and rehabilitation services to people who are blind or visually impaired.
Ron attributes his professional success in the transit and mobility industry to his lifelong involvement with the blind/visually impaired and larger disability communities and to his personal experience living with blindness.
Says Ron, “When the transit industry talks about how to better serve people with disabilities, I’m able to literally think about services from this perspective. ‘How would this affect my ability to get to the store or pick my kids up from school, or how would this affect the other disabled people in my life?’ Having that perspective helps me to do my work with a greater degree of empathy and humility, and when we truly understand our customers’ needs, and when we seek to solve their needs first and foremost, we can always get a better result.”
Connect with Ron on LinkedIn.
About Your Host
As the manager of Community and Public Relations, David Steinmetz uses his expertise, education, and personal experiences to “change the perception of blindness.”
Diagnosed with RP, a blinding retinal disease, at the age of 19, David uses his personal story to drive change that leads to improved employment outcomes and community integration for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Mr. Steinmetz graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Economics. Additionally, Steinmetz has continued his education by graduating from the Business Management Training (BMT) program provided by Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia.
In 2008, David was the national recipient of the National Industries for the Blind Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement award. This prestigious award recognized Mr. Steinmetz for his career achievements and community service work.
David Steinmetz is a member of the Governors’ Council on Blindness & Visual Impairments, is a Board Member at the Arizona Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired (ACBVI) and serves his community through the Chandler Lions Club.
Connect with David on LinkedIn and Instagram.
About the Show
Changing the Perception of Blindness; One Conversation at a Time is dedicated to breaking down barriers, de-mystifying blindness and promoting real world solutions that empower people who are blind to live a full and inclusive life.
Host, David Steinmetz connects with organizations, industry professionals and thought leaders who are working to bridge the gap that creates a world accessible for all.
About Arizona Industries for the Blind
Arizona Industries for the Blind is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating employment opportunities for people who are blind. It’s employees, more than half of whom are blind, deliver a variety of products and services, including a full-service Warehousing and Distribution Center, confidential Digital Data Scan (DDS) services for private businesses and government and the operation of Base Supply Centers located at each of Arizona’s three military bases under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Labor’s AbilityOne program.
