TRANSPORTATION EXPERIENCES OF AUTISTIC YOUNG ADULTS IN TORONTO
TRANSPORTATION EXPERIENCES OF AUTISTIC YOUNG ADULTS IN TORONTO
A Qualitative and Photography-based Investigation of Barriers, Facilitators, & Opportunities for Co-design.
About the project
This study aims to better understand the experiences of Autistic young adults taking transit in Toronto. More specifically, the goal is to understand which parts of taking public transit are easy and enjoyable, and which parts are difficult or uncomfortable. We hope that by listening to these experiences, we can bring these issues to the attention of decision-makers and find solutions together.
Participation
We are looking for 10 to 15 people between the ages of 18 and 35 who identify as autistic and who have experience taking public transport (subway, buses, street cars, trains, public bicycles, etc.).
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Unfortunately, people who have experienced significant brain injuries in the past five years will not be invited to participate because their experiences and abilities could change over the course of the study. Also, people who need mobility devices like walkers and wheelchairs will also not be able to participate in the study since they fall outside the scope of this study.
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If you are interested, you should not need to buy anything you do not already have. To join, you just need a mobile device that can take photos and a PRESTO pass.
What will happen in the study?
To collect data for the study, we will interview autistic adults via Microsoft Teams or by email. These interviews will be complemented with photos and videos to provide a more detailed understanding of the participants' transportation experiences.
The study will happen from February to April and will include We will three meetings with each participant, with each meeting lasting approximately 60-90 minutes.
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Outputs and Goals
After participants finish the study, they have an option to continue contributing. For instance, they could help write a policy brief or create a short video to teach others about their experiences. If interested, a discussion will be had towards the end of the study to discuss what these opportunities could look like.
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Also, this project is being completed as part of a master’s thesis. The project will be posted within OCAD University. We will also be publishing the results in an academic journal that focuses on autism research or public transportation design.
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Lastly, we will be sharing the findings with the decision-makers. This could be done at a conference or in meetings. We will be presenting the results from this study in the summer of 2026. If you are interested in joining, please let us know, and we will give you more information as these opportunities arise.
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