Meet travel trainer Melinda “Mindy” Niland of ECNV, who turns bus routes and metro maps into gateways for freedom. She breaks down what travel training is and why safe, confident travel matters for people with disabilities. Mindy shares ECNV’s hands‑on coaching style—practicing real trips, using clear tools, and cheering every milestone. Hear stories of riders who now head to work, school, and fun on their own, proving travel training sparks independence. Find out which Northern Virginia areas ECNV supports and how these journeys build self‑advocacy and an inclusive life.
Empowering Independence Through Travel Training
Featuring Mindy Neeland from the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia
Introducing a New Kind of Guest
In this episode, host Frances Shefter welcomes Mindy Neeland, a travel trainer from the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia, to the Stress-Free IEP podcast. Mindy brings a unique perspective, as her role focuses on helping individuals with disabilities gain independence by teaching them how to use public transportation systems like buses and the Metro in the DC metro area. This vital but often overlooked skill is foundational for independence and personal growth, particularly for neurodivergent youth and adults.
What Is Travel Training?
Travel training involves personalized instruction to help individuals with disabilities navigate public transit systems safely and independently. It starts with an intake process to determine the person’s specific goals—whether it’s using a smartphone to access transit apps, managing time effectively to catch a bus, or problem-solving when a route is delayed.
Mindy and her colleagues meet clients where they are, tailoring the program based on each person’s experience, confidence level, and specific needs. For some, a single session is enough. For others, it could take several weeks of gradual, hands-on training.
Real-World Practice and Personalized Goals
A key part of Mindy’s work is actually riding buses and trains alongside clients, providing real-time instruction and reassurance. The end goal is to help them travel independently or semi-independently using supports such as family or caregivers when needed.
What makes Mindy’s program stand out is its deeply empathetic approach. Many of the travel trainers, including Mindy herself, are neurodivergent or have disabilities, giving them firsthand insight into the challenges their clients face. This shared experience fosters trust and connection, helping clients feel seen and supported.
Serving All Ages and Abilities
Whether it’s a teenager preparing for their first job, or an older adult who can no longer drive, the focus remains the same: empowering independence through mobility.
Mindy emphasizes that the program is consumer-directed, meaning goals are chosen by the individuals themselves, not imposed by caregivers. If a student wants to learn how to get to the mall rather than college, they work that into the plan—while still incorporating functional travel skills that may be useful in other areas of life.
A Crucial But Overlooked IEP Component
Frances and Mindy highlight an important oversight in many IEP transition plans: transportation skills. While IEPs often mention employment and education goals, they rarely include goals like learning to ride the bus—despite the fact that transportation is crucial to achieving many of those objectives.
The ENDependence Center is working to build partnerships with schools and programs like Project SEARCH to ensure students with disabilities get the training they need before aging out of the school system. This helps prevent the “what now?” gap that so many families experience after age 22.
Tackling Anxiety with Practical Tools
One recurring theme of the episode is how common and natural travel anxiety is—especially for neurodiverse individuals. Mindy teaches not just route navigation but how to adapt to unexpected changes, like a missed stop or a delayed bus. Using tools like Google Maps and the WMATA app, clients learn to anticipate and respond to real-world challenges with confidence.
Frances notes that even she sometimes feels anxious using public transport, and applauds how the training helps build not just skills, but also the self-assurance to handle the unknown.
Free, Accessible, and Multilingual
Another standout feature of this program is its accessibility. Thanks to funding from WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority), the services are entirely free. SmartTrip cards, bus fare training, and hands-on support are all included at no cost to families.
Plus, the team includes trainers who speak Spanish and other languages, helping reduce barriers for non-English speaking families. And while there is currently a short waiting list, especially during the busy summer months, most clients can get started within a few weeks.
Final Thoughts: Believe in the Possible
Mindy closes the episode with an empowering message: “Be open-minded. Maybe you don’t think travel is possible for you, but you won’t know until you try.”
Frances agrees, recalling the quote from Alice in Wonderland: “Believe in six impossible things before breakfast.” For many families, independent travel may seem like one of those impossible things—but with the right support, it doesn’t have to be.
For more information about travel training services or to make a referral, you can visit the ENDependence Center’s website . As always, past episodes and resources can be found at www.shefterlaw.com, or on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and other major platforms.
Remember: You don’t have to do this alone.
