People
Becoming Independent
Taking the bus is a great way to get around Abbotsford, especially if you don’t own a car. For brothers Kevin and Michael, learning how to navigate public transit has allowed them to get to places they might not have gone to before and, most importantly, to do it on their own.
Last fall, together with their Communitas life skills workers, Krista Petrie and Samantha (Sam) De Jong, they set a goal to learn how to take the bus from their home to the Communitas office on Bourquin Crescent. They were highly motivated: they wanted to be able to get to their Communitas Christmas party on their own!
Their transit training began with the two support workers meeting separately with the brothers at their home and going through the steps together. Kevin and Michael live in an area where the buses are infrequent. They also had the added challenge of having to transfer from one bus to another.
“We started by walking to the bus stop together so that they could see where to get on and off,” Krista explains.
Along with the logistics of how to use the bus, Kevin and Michael learned bus etiquette like thanking the bus driver, giving up an accessible seat if someone needed it, or not listening to music without headphones. They also learned to recognize landmarks and how the bus has information above the driver that announces which stops are next.
“We didn’t always get it right,” Krista says with a laugh, “Once we had to rush over to a different bus stop for a transfer because we realized we were waiting at the wrong stop.”
But the more they did this together, the more Kevin and Michael were able to take the lead getting on and off the bus. Their first solo trip was the day of the Christmas Party. It turned into an adventure.
“The first day we took the bus by ourselves we ended up taking the UFV bus by accident,” Kevin says.
When they called to explain what had happened, Krista went to her computer to find out when the next bus was leaving and directed them to the correct bus.
“We cheered for them when they walked in!” Krista says.
Sam is proud of the way the brothers have learned this new skill. Sam notes that Kevin and Michael have also had to learn to ride the bus independent of each other.
“There was a day when Kevin had to take the bus by himself, which he had never done before,” Sam remembers. “He figured out his route, which buses he would need to take, and he made it to the office on time for our meeting.”
Along with independence, learning to use public transit provides a sense of safety once people learn their routes and get to know their bus drivers. Sam says that Kevin has come a long way, becoming both independent and confident. Krista agrees, noting that as both Kevin and Michael continue to practice riding the bus, they have become quite proficient, taking public transit to different restaurants, the grocery store, and to the mall.
Having a new option to get around town has given both brothers a strong sense of independence. Michael feels that it’s important for people to learn to use public transportation.
“Learning to ride the bus means that you don’t have to rely on other people to get around,” Michael says. “It makes me feel very confident.”
Kevin agrees, adding that independence has other benefits as well.
“It’s good to get out so that we aren’t just sitting around the house,” Kevin says. “It’s not healthy to just sit at home all the time.”
What has surprised them both is how quickly they are feeling more comfortable.
“We’re both excited to explore more new places!” Michael says.
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