BART Pilots Aira Visual Interpreter Service as Riverside Transit Adds On-Demand ASL Help
Two California transit agencies have introduced new digital tools aimed at making their systems easier for riders with disabilities to navigate. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has launched a pilot program to test Aira, a video interpreter service for blind and low-vision customers, while Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) has made a live American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation service available on its buses and at its facilities.
BART's pilot began Oct. 6 and runs through Jan. 3, 2027. Aira connects users with live, professionally trained visual interpreters through a video call on a free smartphone app called Aira Explorer. Using the phone's camera, interpreters describe surroundings, read signs and text, and help with tasks such as finding a station entrance, locating fare gates and ticket vending machines, identifying the correct platform, and boarding the right train. "Blind and low vision riders have told us that navigating to and through our stations can be a real challenge, especially finding fare gates and other key features," said Ryan Greene-Roesel, BART's Director of Customer Access and Accessibility. "This pilot gives us a chance to test whether a live, on-demand interpreter can make those everyday trips easier."
Aira normally charges users by the minute, but during the BART pilot the cost of any call related to a BART trip — from a rider's front door to their destination — is covered. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the pilot. Riders download the Aira Explorer app, create an account, and grant camera, microphone and GPS permissions, then use the app's "Browse Access Offers" section to search for "BART" and apply the offer to their next call. BART will gather rider feedback and review usage data to evaluate whether it should seek funding to continue the service.
RTA, meanwhile, has deployed Convo Access, an on-demand ASL interpretation service. Riders scan a QR code displayed on any RTA bus or at an RTA facility to connect instantly with a live ASL interpreter on their smartphone, who then helps them communicate with RTA staff about routes, schedules, fares, service alerts or trip planning. No appointments, specialized equipment or advanced scheduling are required. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, roughly three out of every 100 Riverside County residents report having a hearing difficulty.
The moves reflect a broader push by transit agencies to adopt on-demand assistive and interpretation services. RTA said it is the first transit agency west of the Mississippi River to implement Convo Access, which has also been used by agencies including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, NJ Transit, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. BART's pilot will determine whether the agency pursues permanent funding for the visual interpreter service.