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NJ TRANSIT RECOGNIZES AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH

Neurodiverse Children Record Station PA Announcements, Locomotive and Two Buses Wrapped in Acceptance Messaging; Expansion of MagnusCards App To Assist Neurodiverse Customers

April 2, 2025

NEWARK, NJ – NJ TRANSIT is once again recognizing Autism Acceptance Month by featuring announcements recorded by neurodiverse children that will be played at train stations across the NJ TRANSIT system throughout the month of April. NJ TRANSIT is also enhancing the MagnusCards travel app – a digital life skills app for neurodiverse individuals – to include rewards called MagnusBadges and wrapping two buses and a locomotive in messaging to promote acceptance.  The designs on one of the buses were created by local neurodiverse children.                                                                     

“NJ TRANSIT is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming transit system that reflects the diverse communities we serve,” said NJDOT Commissioner & NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Fran O’Connor. “Through initiatives like the Autism Acceptance Month bus and locomotive wrap, as well as our ongoing partnership with Happy Hour 4 Kids and Magnusmode, we are proud to recognize neurodiversity and create meaningful experiences for all riders.”

"NJ TRANSIT is proud to support Autism Acceptance Month by fostering meaningful connections between the neurodiverse community and public transit,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri. “Through partnerships with organizations like Happy Hour 4 Kids, we continue our commitment to making our system accessible and welcoming to all.”

 

““NJ TRANSIT holds a special place in the hearts of New Jersey children with autism who love trains and buses. Today, NJ TRANSIT will show these kids how much that bond means to them through their participation in the Autism Transit Project. This is the third year in a row NJ TRANSIT is participating in the project and are joined by major transit agencies across the country, including BART, MARTA, MTA, MBTA, Maryland MTA, WMATA, and the CTA,” said Jonathan Trichter, founder of special needs schools and the creator of the Autism Transit Project. “These children learn how to connect with others through their love of transit.  When language doesn’t come naturally, they grab onto the announcements they hear in the place they love and use that language as building blocks for communicating.”

“NJ Transit continues to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to accessibility,” said Magnusmode Founder and CEO Nadia Hamilton, “Now in our third year of partnership, we are excited to introduce NJ Transit badges to further engage autistic and neurodivergent users to develop transit skills. Introducing this gaming element is exciting, together we are building powerful and innovative tools to empower riders of all abilities!” 

Happy Hour 4 Kids Station Announcements:

Through a partnership with Happy Hour 4 Kids and the Autism Transit Project, local neurodiverse children have once again, recorded train station announcements that will be played throughout the system for Autism Acceptance Month in April. Children have been recruited from the public as well as from NJ TRANSIT employees’ families.  NJ TRANSIT is excited to honor the special relationship with the neurodiverse community in New Jersey. 

Sample announcements include:

"Hi, my name is ________ and as part of Autism Acceptance Month, I would like to welcome you aboard NJ TRANSIT" or "Please watch the gap while boarding the train."

For video and audio of the children recording the announcements, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lftReyVdFAQ

MagnusCards App Expansion:

NJ TRANSIT MagnusCards App, which is a travel aid that is tailored to autistic and neurodiverse individuals, will now feature a rewards system called MagnusBadges. MagnusBadges are digital badges that are earned by viewing Card Decks. Users can also share their progress on social media. The MagnusCards are available in English and Spanish.

MagnusCards® by Magnusmode is a free app with Card Decks to help autistic and neurodiverse persons learn and master life skills, such as using public transportation, shopping, personal care and more. The app features dozens of Card Decks, called MagnusCards, that use simple and clear instructions, along with pictures, sounds and rewards to make learning fun and engaging. 

NJ TRANSIT has collaborated with Magnusmode to create fifteen exclusive NJ TRANSIT MagnusCard decks, covering various aspects of using NJ TRANSIT’s bus, light rail and rail services.

The MagnusCards mobile app is available in Apple App Store & Google Play Store. 

Bus and Locomotive Wraps:

This year’s specially wrapped buses feature graphics that incorporate actual drawings and art submissions from neurodivergent children from around the region. Each letter of the “AUTISM” and “CELEBRATING DIFFERENCES” was drawn by one of the participating children and then adapted into the bus graphics wrap by a NJ TRANSIT graphic designer. 

In addition to the bus wrap, NJ TRANSIT unveiled a specially wrapped locomotive which will incorporate the infinity symbol. The infinity symbol is often used to represent autism, particularly when advocating for acceptance and inclusion. The locomotive design element will be a staple in the rail system for years to come. 

Both the bus wrap and the locomotive wrap were graciously and generously sponsored by Happy Hour 4 Kids.

Accessibility Web Page:

NJ TRANSIT also has an accessibility-related website content and user experience, available at www.njtransit.com/accessibility. The web page features an overview video about the many services and features of NJ TRANSIT that make it accessible to all individuals, as well as easy-to-use links to specific information and informational videos, which are captioned in six languages in addition to English. The videos, which were funded by the Federal Transit Administration’s Access and Mobility Partnership Grants program, cover several topics with information about vehicle and station accessibility, the Reduced Fare Program, community transportation services and Access Link paratransit service, including Access Link Online, where Access Link customers can manage their reservations and accounts. 

About NJ TRANSIT

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 263 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.