The Impact of COVID-19 on Transportation of Adults With Visual Impairments

Abstract

Introduction: Access to efficient and affordable transportation options has long been a challenge for many individuals with vision loss. In spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a quick shift in the availability and safety of transportation. Methods: Using the constant comparison method, open-ended responses from 1,162 participants in the Flatten Inaccessibility study were coded. Responses were from participants who had concerns about transportation. Results: Ten themes and corresponding subthemes emerged from the data. Themes were interdependent in that the extent of concerns differed based on respondents’ support networks, transportation availability, and financial circumstances. Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront both systemic and COVID-19 transportation challenges about which those with visual impairments experienced or had concerns or both. Implications for Practitioners: It is imperative that professionals support those with visual impairments to develop alternative plans for when their typical transportation options are disrupted.

Access to transportation and use of available options by those who are visually impaired has been a topic of research over the past 25 years (Cochran, 2020; Corn & Rosenblum, 2002; Corn & Sacks, 1994; Crudden, 2018; O’Day et al., 2019a, 2019b; Rosenblum & Corn, 2002a, 2002b). For some individuals, the lack of personal orientation and mobility (O&M) skills (Crudden et al., 2018; O’Day et al., 2019b) was a hindrance to transportation access. Many individuals who are visually impaired nondrivers report concerns about safety, lack of independence, being a burden to others, or having to rely on others for transportation (Corn & Rosenblum, 2002; Corn & Sacks, 1994; Montarzino et al., 2007; O’Day et al., 2019b; Rosenblum & Corn, 2002b; Simek et al., 2020). A form of transportation being available in the community does not equate to those with visual impairments using it (Crudden, 2018; Marston & Golledge, 2003). Financial constraints, the need to pre-schedule, social stigma, lack of flexibility, and the need to spend additional time in travel, and safety were just some of the reasons that many individuals with visual impairments gave for choosing not to use public transit, paratransit, taxis, and/or rideshare services (Corn & Rosenblum, 2002; Corn & Sacks, 1994; Crudden, 2018; O’Day et al., 2019a, 2019b; Rosenblum & Corn, 2002b). As Bleach et al. (2020) noted, there are currently no “promising practices” that have been demonstrated to be effective in improving transportation access and use by individuals with visual impairments.

Early in 2020, the world experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and circumstances surrounding the pandemic introduced new or enhanced the systemic transportation challenges for people with visual impairments that have been identified in previous research. As a result of stay-at-home orders, the need for social distance, and concerns for one's personal safety, Americans made significant changes in how they accessed and used transportation. Drivers of all forms of transportation found themselves needing to clean their vehicles, wear masks, and, whenever possible, maintain social distance from their passengers. Those with personal vehicles sought drive-through and curb-side pickup alternatives to entering businesses or medical facilities. In some communities, public transit agencies restricted access to the front of the bus (Wanek-Libman, 2020), reduced schedules, or canceled routes (Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, 2020). In their modeling of COVID-19's potential to affect transportation in the United States, the Transit Center (n.d.) reported:

The modeling suggests that the impacts would be deep and profound. In the 10 regions we modeled alone, more than 3 million people and 1.4 million jobs would lose access to frequent transit. Black and Hispanic residents would be hardest-hit. Second- and third-shift workers would lose an affordable way to commute, and households without vehicles would have an even harder time meeting everyday needs. Transportation cuts would take out the legs from under cities engaged in a life-or-death struggle with the virus. (p. 1)

Although the Transit Center's (n.d.) report did not reference individuals with disabilities, the effect on transportation described will be felt by those with visual impairments.

In April 2020, 16 organizations and companies in the blindness field collaborated and provided input on the development of the Flatten Inaccessibility survey (Rosenblum et al., 2020), which was designed to understand how COVID-19 affected adults with visual impairments. The survey collected data from 1,921 participants from all 50 states; Washington, DC; and Puerto Rico. Participants reported concerns related to COVID-19 in eight areas (e.g., employment, health care, transportation, and voting).

Rosenblum et al. (2020) analyzed quantitative and qualitative data from the Flatten Inaccessibility report. In their analysis, two researchers coded the qualitative data and met to discuss themes. The coding was done by question with two other researchers taking notes and contributing to the discussion. The researchers alternated by question which two authors were the coders. A list of themes with example quotes illustrating each theme was developed. Only broad themes were identified and no subthemes were developed. This article expands the qualitative analysis and provides a more in-depth coding of the transportation qualitative data. The focus question used by the authors for the analysis was: What was the experience around transportation for individuals with visual impairments during the early stage of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Method

The study was approved by the American Foundation for the Blind Institutional Review Board. The accessible online survey was disseminated by the 16 collaborating organizations via email, electronic discussion groups, and social media pages. Respondents provided informed consent on the introduction page of the survey. If they chose not to consent, the survey was terminated. Adults aged 18 years and older in the United States who self-reported being blind or having low vision were eligible to participate.

The transportation section of the Flatten Inaccessibility survey contained 11 Likert-scale concern statements rated on a 5-point scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree. For example, “I am concerned that because I do not drive, I will not be able to get myself or a family member to a COVID-19 test center.” The other concern statements addressed: access to health care, community restrictions on transportation, obtaining groceries, and safety using different transportation modes. After three or four concern statements, participants were asked the following open-ended question, “Please provide any comments about the topics in the above questions,” three times in the transportation section of the survey. Two additional opened-ended questions were also asked: “Do you have any other concerns related to transportation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?” and “Thinking about your concerns, how can technology aid you to address these transportation concerns?”

Responses to open-ended questions were coded using the constant comparison method (Stern, 2008), in which each individual response to a question was compared to the other responses to that question in order to identify common themes and related subthemes. Although the constant comparison technique emerged from Grounded Theory, the constant comparison analysis (also called constant comparison inquiry) is used more widely as a process in which researchers seek out details and find relationships between emerging themes (Butler-Kisber, 2018; Chun Tie et al., 2019). Specifically, this method allows the researchers to highlight variations, both similarities and differences, as they were observed in the data (Bazeley, 2013). This method is not concerned with frequency of the occurrence of themes, but rather the gestalt of the concepts being identified. Comparison continues until researchers do not identify any additional themes.

For this analysis, each of the three researchers worked independently, reviewing the responses for each open-ended question and identifying initial themes and subthemes. After this initial analysis was completed, the researchers met to discuss and review the initial themes and subthemes for the question before repeating the process for the next question. As the constant comparison analysis continued with the individual reviews of additional questions, the authors met again to discuss and adjusted the themes and subthemes in response to the additional analyses. A final discussion occurred after all questions were coded to confirm the main themes and subthemes. Consensus was automatic when the authors acknowledged similar themes and subthemes. At the same time, differing themes and or subthemes were debated until consensus was obtained and the determination regarding placement within existing themes and subthemes was completed. Once the themes and subthemes were finalized, the authors met to select representative quotes for each theme.

Results

Respondents’ Demographic Characteristics

There were 1,921 respondents in the Flatten Inaccessibility study, with 1,162 or 63% reporting they had concerns about transportation due to COVID-19 and agreeing to answer questions about their concerns. Their demographic data are reported in Table 1. Of the 1,162 respondents, 498 (44.1%) reported they had one or more additional disability with 309 (62%) of these individuals believing their additional disabilities made them more vulnerable if exposed to COVID-19.

Table 1.

Demographic Information of the Participants.

Variable	n	%
Gender (n = 1,156)
Female	768	66.4
Male	360	31.1
Transgender, gender non-conforming or other	20	1.7
Not provided	8	0.8
Ethnicity (n = 1,151)
White	870	57.6
Hispanic, Latinx, or of Spanish origin	80	7.0
Black or African American	77	6.7
Multiracial	49	4.3
Asian	28	2.4
Other	16	1.4
American Indian or Alaskan Native	7	>1
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander	2	>1
Not provided	22	1.9
Age (n = 1,152)
Under 55 years	650	56.5
55 years or older	502	43.5
Onset of Visual Impairment (n = 1,152)
Congenital (before 2 years of age)	726	63.1
Adventitious (after 2 years of age)	426	36.9

Themes

Table 2 presents the 10 themes and subthemes identified by the authors. Themes and subthemes reflect respondents’ challenges and concerns related to transportation; although some solutions and future suggestions also emerged. Additionally, some subthemes appeared in more than one theme category when they contributed to both themes in unique ways.

Table 2.

Themes and Subthemes.

Main themes	Subthemes
Support network	Existence of a support network
	Concern about changing health of regular driver or putting family/neighbors at risk
Financial considerations	Having to use more expensive transportation options (e.g., Uber) or transportation alternatives (e.g., delivery)
	Concerns about future disruptions in affordable service
	Limited or fixed income
	Transportation changes affecting ability to work
Medical needs	Transportation services not providing rides if sick (e.g., to get to hospital)
	Ability to get to a test site
	Concern that ambulance is only option
Safety	Concern about germs and cleanliness in small spaces and with unknown people
	Impact of how public interacts with blind/VI (e.g., push/pull to “help,” no longer helping due to COVID)
	Challenge with social distancing in typical transportation situations
	Taking charge of own safety (masks, gloves, wipes, technology)
	Using the same or known drivers
	Weighing options (i.e., lowest risk)
	Having to board back of bus or other changes vs. accommodations
Social-emotional	Feeling more isolated or forgotten
	Loss of control or independence
	Feeling ‘normal’ because other people are at home
	Fear of not being able to provide for family
	Feeling fortunate due to personal situation, ability to adapt
	Concern for service animal (e.g., getting to Vet, being denied rides)
Personal transport changes	Taking the safer of the choices
	Taking transportation only when necessary
	Expectation/concern that services may fail as pandemic continues or not return in the future
	Walk to local places
	Adjusting to changing rules (e.g., bored back of bus)
	Using delivery services
Technology	Better communication (e.g., schedules, updates, transportation options)
	Need for more accessible apps
	Using useful apps (Aira, etc.)
	Autonomous vehicles and public transit
	Technology to sanitize vehicles
	Advance technology but keep basic services (e.g., being able to phone in)
Inaccessible solutions	Drive-up services
	Limited delivery services (e.g., slots, items available, locations available)
	Fewer services running
	Challenges traveling to multiple locations to get needed items
	No alternatives available (e.g., rural, fixed income)
COVID impact on lifestyle	Decreased transportation need (e.g., remote working)
	Loss of work or remote work
	Transportation/safety concerns about resuming routine (e.g., going back to work, child back to school)
	Transportation affecting other activities (e.g., voting in primary)
	Transportation limiting ability to use other services in place
	Too many using services (i.e., hard to get slots)
	Transit only providing certain services (e.g., medical appointments only)
Systemic social issues highlighted by COVID	Government letting me down
	Need for wider social policy change for accessibility
	People without a support system
	Societal attitudes/misconceptions to blindness

Support Network

Many of the respondents had a support network, which may have included family, friends, neighbors, or those they hired. They recognized that COVID-19 could cause significant disruption to the transportation that the individuals in their support networks provided. “I really don't know what I would do if I had to manage transportation without my spouse.” Other respondents reported hesitation about asking for transportation assistance from their support network due to the virus. “I have neighbors who I normally would be comfortable asking for help in an emergency but feel less comfortable asking for their help with the COVID-19 distancing rules.”

Respondents expressed concerns about having to shift to public transit, rideshare services, or other public options because of their reluctance to request rides from others. The need to rely on these public methods, which may or may not be available, weighed heavily on them. “[W]ith the driver strikes and being left without transportation because of [the pandemic, I am not] able to get to needed health-care appointments for myself or my animals.”

Financial Considerations

Financial considerations factored into transportation concerns and choices for some respondents. Specifically, the cost of transportation was a concern if the respondent or someone in their home had been laid off or furloughed: “My husband has not had work since mid-March. Affording transportation would be difficult if I was laid off.” Other respondents had concerns about the higher cost of alternatives due to changes in available transportation within their community: “My city has definitely restricted the use of public transportation and paratransit, leaving me and others with no choice but to take Uber and Lyft. This has many challenges associated with it. Primarily cost.” Yet, for other respondents, transportation costs had been an issue prior to the pandemic and were continuing to be: “I am not unemployed but low income, so I DO worry about getting places and being able to pay to do so.”

Medical Needs

One key aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic was respondents’ concerns about becoming ill and needing to be tested for COVID-19. Being nondrivers, they expressed grave concern about traveling to a testing site. “Relying on family members is not feasible. I am concerned about the availability of getting to a testing site.” A few respondents provided insights into how they might travel to a testing site or a hospital for care such as “[I can p]ut an app like Nextdoor or neighborhood app [to] connect me with someone in my neighborhood who could transport me safely to a physician, pharmacy, or shopping center.”

Several respondents felt their only option, if they became ill, would be to call an ambulance. “If I or a family member needed to be tested or hospitalized, I think the alternative would have to be by ambulance as no Uber or Lyft driver or friend would want to be exposed.”

Safety

Similarly, to all individuals during the pandemic, many respondents had concerns for their personal safety when out in the community. Due to their inability to drive, their concerns were heightened, since they had to rely on others for transportation. For those who routinely used public transit, the concern about touching high-contact surfaces and social distancing was most often expressed. “We don't trust the bus and having to touch everything on it…. [I]f we could drive we could pick up an order with limited physical contact. Our only option is to get in the car that we have no idea on cleanliness [of] with a stranger.”

Most respondents did not believe transportation options (e.g., bus, rideshare vehicles) were clean, and many questioned if recommended safety protocols were being followed:

I know that they are doing their best to keep things sanitized and clean, [but] it is not a guarantee. There are no do overs if I am exposed [to the virus] or get COVID-19 so I don't feel that any type of public transportation is a viable option at this time.

A few respondents reported that they felt safe because of the steps they were personally taking when using transportation. “The reason why I am comfortable with taking rideshare and other disability specific transport is due to the fact I wear a face mask, gloves, and travel with Clorox wipes with me wherever I go.”

Respondents who had limited or no vision were unable to monitor their position in relation to others in order to maintain social distance:

I do not know how close I am sitting to others, and it makes me nervous. I am concerned that the driver would not validate these concerns because I am blind, so wouldn't know that I was sitting half the distance I need to from someone.

There were respondents who had found using a visual interpreting service, such as Aira, allowed them to obtain information to assist with social distancing. “Using a service like Aira, I can be more aware of my surroundings, maintain social distance, and have a partner to help me stay safe.”

In some communities, passengers were required to enter and exit at the rear of the bus. For example, a respondent described how she used the bus to get to the grocery store for essential items, “This is pretty dicey since we have to load and unload from the rear of the bus. It is a bigger step up and down.”

Social-emotional

As the pandemic began, the effect on everyone's social-emotional well-being was a concern. For respondents, having a visual impairment, often coupled with additional disabilities, exacerbated their feelings. One feeling expressed by many respondents was lack of independence along with feelings of isolation, causing some respondents to question their standing in society. “I no longer feel like a full citizen because of this transportation situation.”

In contrast, a positive feeling of normalcy was expressed by a few respondents who were already isolated before the pandemic. “The mandatory social isolation is a benefit because I feel sort of normal since nobody is supposed to be out and about. If it were not in place, I’d definitely feel very alone and isolated.”

There was a commonality between thoughts expressed by respondents for the social-emotional and social network themes. Respondents had anxiety about putting people in danger or causing drivers they pay to be out of work. “The people who can take me places are all over 65 [years] and vulnerable to dying of this. Feeling like I had to choose between eating and putting people in danger on one hand, or not eating on the other was psychologically painful.”

Another frequently expressed concern causing respondents’ anxiety related to their dog guides. Respondents worried about transporting their dog guides to the vet. They were stressed about an increase of rideshare drivers who refused to transport a dog guide. “I was getting denials with my guide dog before this started, and now I know I can't take my dog because the law doesn't matter. I’ve never felt so isolated.”

Personal Transport Changes

Whether from concerns for safety, changes in transportation options, or inaccessible solutions, respondents found themselves having to make personal changes to their typical transportation routines, which included taking transportation only when necessary and having to search out new locations to sit and enter in busses:

Bus schedules are constantly changing and … aren't being posted in a reasonable format. Also, they have been blocking off the seats closest to the driver so trying to ask the driver to stop is almost impossible. The automated stop call-outs don't work. I understand they want to keep drivers safe, but what about my rights as a visually impaired person to travel independently?

Overlapping with the theme of safety, respondents also felt that they would need to choose the safer of the transportation options. “My concern around transportation is that the longer this continues and/or if there is a really urgent need, we will have to pick the least bad choice for getting anywhere in the absence of a private vehicle.”

In addition to the immediate changes in personal transportation, respondents feared that these changes would become permanent, even after the pandemic ends. “I am worried that even after the COVID-19 emergency state is over, transportation services will not go back to being as accessible as they were before the emergency status.”

Technology

Technology surfaced in respondents’ comments as both supportive and challenging. In terms of support, several respondents mentioned using apps (e.g., Be My Eyes) to maintain social distance and navigate changes in transportation access. They also mentioned services that allowed them to request transportation. “Through either Aira or Go Grandparent, I can obtain Uber or Lyft for rides. This will make it possible for me to go right home from appointments instead of waiting for paratransit in a lobby with many people.”

Some respondents indicated they experienced challenges with technology. Example issues included apps not being accessible, location of drivers not being exact enough on rideshare apps, and public transit route changes being hard to find on websites:

The rideshare apps need to be fully accessible at all times. Any information the company can provide about the whereabouts of the driver is important. It's extremely important that the driver park near the pickup address so that the need for assistance is eliminated.

In the words of another respondent,

Finding out about the route changes has been difficult. The websites are not very accessible and the texting options are not up to date. Trying to contact the bus company to plan routes if you are on a flex schedule is impossible and the map apps are not accurate as they are based on the old times.

Technological solutions were also offered, with many respondents mentioning the need to continue the development of the autonomous vehicle, which would make more of the inaccessible solutions during the pandemic accessible. Although there were few novel suggestions beyond autonomous vehicles, respondents highlighted a need to improve current technology and its level of accessibility including websites and apps for shopping, transit, and delivery services.

Inaccessible Solutions

Solutions that communities enacted in response to COVID-19 were identified by some respondents as inaccessible either because they required driving, were not available in an individual's region, or were too restrictive. Respondents expressed concern that the needs of individuals who relied on public transportation were not taken into account by those developing and enacting rules:

It seems others don't think about people who can't drive. Everything is “curbside” pick up, and, since I don't drive, I can't do that. When I mention this to sighted acquaintances, they say I’m being self-centered. Perhaps I am; however, I need to survive.

Although some respondents worked to find solutions to inaccessibility, the extra effort and time was exhausting. For example,

When using Google maps, or Blind Square, I have to work really hard and sometimes I still have to get lost to figure out where I should turn or where I should cross the street. I’m not sure I’d have the focus available to do this if I needed to because I would be afraid and distracted.

Even when transportation options were available, the restrictions imposed by companies caused these solutions to be inaccessible. “Getting rideshare in the local area has become a hassle. Most drivers are dropping off at locations further away from the door and providing little assistance.”

The Effect of COVID on Lifestyle

The lack of availability of transportation resulted in many respondents indicating they had to or feared they would need to make fundamental changes to their lifestyle:

I fear that once the pandemic has somewhat subsided, I will not be able to use public transportation because it will continue to be a way to transmit the virus. This could radically change my way of life. We purchased our home because of readily available local public transportation. This will have a profound impact on my lifestyle and make me more dependent on my spouse and family.

Other respondents reported they needed transportation less frequently due to loss of work, the shift to working from home, or having to change the way they went about doing activities. “Several social service agencies help with rides to the grocery store, drugstore, Walmart, etc. but there are many limitations and rules that often prevent us from doing the things we’d like to do.” Another respondent stated, “I have wanted to donate blood to my local American Red Cross or other organizations, but I may wait since it would be difficult to use the available [paratransit] system or possibly Lyft.”

Systemic Social Issues

In addition to the specific concerns to their lives noted by respondents, the pandemic highlighted the need to address overlying systemic issues with transportation access:

And again, we’re scrambling to deal with these new changes. How are we going to focus on better policy change long-term? Because this thing isn't going away anytime soon… and we can't be forgotten. It's bad enough we’re still fighting for the basics of the ADA [(Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) for the] past 30 years, and still with that, we are left behind compared to other disability groups.

Additional systemic issues identified by respondents included lack of accessibility of transportation options, unbalanced distribution of resources and social services, the need to advocate for services, and individuals with disabilities being left out of the decision-making processes. “Transportation apps, Google maps, and state governments must communicate over their websites and other methods to address concerns of the community. People with disabilities are not considered when these decisions are made.”

Discussion

This article reports themes derived from answers to open-ended questions provided by 1,162 participants who took part in a study to examine how the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic affected them. Many of the transportation challenges identified by the respondents were related to COVID-19, for example, boarding at the rear of the bus, determining if you are maintaining social distance, and knowing if a driver is following safety protocols. Although other issues, such as access to transportation, financial concerns, and maintaining independence as a nondriver were not unique to the COVID-19 pandemic as they are systemic issues, the pandemic brought these issues to the forefront for many respondents.

The data gathered from 1,921 adults with visual impairments by Rosenblum et al. (2020) through the Flatten Inaccessibility study is the largest dataset of this type known to the authors. Those with visual impairments, practitioners, transit companies, policymakers, and others can use these data to come together and work to develop solutions that will serve everyone going forward, whether during a crisis such as a pandemic or more “normal” times. To begin with, those with disabilities, including visual impairments, need to be involved in transportation and disaster planning within each community. Their input is valuable and will serve to identify issues overlooked by those without disabilities during planning. Those with vision loss, especially through consumer organizations, can work with policy makers to introduce legislation to ensure that the needs of those with disabilities are adequately addressed in local, state, and national plans.

Reliable and affordable transportation must be available to all members of a community. This necessitates consideration of financial resources of community members, the safety of all, and policies that are inclusive of everyone regardless of disability. Those who experience a life changing event (e.g., decreased vision, change in health) may require one-on-one instruction from personnel to learn how to use transportation options, for example, from O&M specialists or employees of public transit companies. If orientation and mobility services were available via Medicare, this would allow for more individuals to access this important service.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused Americans to experience social isolation on a wider scale due to recommendations from the scientific community (Cleveland Clinic, 2020). Though research is lacking, it is postulated by many practitioners that individuals, especially those who are older, with visual impairments may have smaller social networks than those without disabilities. The pandemic has created a challenge for individuals with vision loss as the need to social distance and isolate cuts them off from those in their social network who routinely assist them with tasks such as transportation.

During the pandemic, technology enabled people to get information, order items for home delivery, arrange for items to pick up via curbside, locate drive-up testing sites, keep abreast of changes to transit schedules, and so much more. Access to information is challenging for individuals who have limited or no access to technology; for whom websites and apps are not accessible or fully usable; who do not know how to use technology; or who have recently experienced vision loss and have not yet learned to efficiently use access tools such as screen readers. Thus, it is imperative that companies and government entities not only ensure their websites and apps are accessible, but that they also offer alternatives for those who cannot access the information via technology.

Bus drivers, dispatchers, rideshare drivers, and others who work directly with those using transportation, would benefit from training specific to those with vision loss. It is important to assist them to understand the challenges of low vision, the laws governing the use of dog guides, and how they can serve as human guides.

Limitations

The Flatten Inaccessibility study (Rosenblum et al., 2020) had limitations. Data were collected in a short period of time (10 days) through an accessible online survey, and, while developed by experts in the field of visual impairments, it was not pilot-tested prior to release. The survey was advertised using online sources (e.g., email blasts, blog posts). Therefore, individuals who missed the announcement, did not use technology, or did not have access to technology to complete the survey, did not have the opportunity to share their perspectives. In addition, those new to visual impairment who had not yet learned to use assistive technology may have also missed participating. The study sample was not ethnically diverse, with 77% of the sample being White (Rosenblum, et al., 2020) and 64% being female. In addition, 60% of the study sample were congenitally visually impaired, thus, those experiencing vision loss later in life were not well represented. The lack of diversity within the study sample must be considered when interpreting the data. The survey was open in April 2020 during the first weeks of the pandemic in the United States, a very stressful time as a quick shift was being made in all aspects of American's lives to adapt to working from home, remote education, and the closing of many businesses with little or no warning. In structuring the survey, the researchers did not include any questions about financial resources available to respondents. Many of the questions asked in the survey assumed respondents had concerns and, thus, the survey questions were negatively biased and did not fully seek to learn about the ways in which respondents developed strategies to overcome obstacles they might have experienced.

Implications for Practitioners

Based on the responses to the online survey, those who have strong blindness skills experienced challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, those who had limited skills or were new to technology or blind skills were less fortunate in utilizing.

The findings of this study serve as a reminder to practitioners of the need to ensure those they work with have well-developed problem-solving skills. In response to a potential lack of access to affordable transportation options during an emergency situation, practitioners may wish to help individuals to develop financial planning skills or refer them to programs that focus on supporting individuals to develop these skills. Furthermore, it is imperative that practitioners understand what transportation options are available in the community or advocate to expand transportation options as a way to reduce the burden of reduced or limited transportation options. In addition, based on the transportation reductions and limitations that occurred as a response to the pandemic, professionals should work with those experiencing vision loss to assist them to develop or enhance anticipation strategies, so they are better prepared to handle alternatives during an emergency. Additionally, these anticipation strategies can be expanded to include multiple types of emergencies, including weather-related and other health emergency situations.

Advocating for one's own needs and wishes is important. Practitioners may want to join advisory boards, meet with policymakers, and work with local companies to ensure they understand the needs of those with vision loss. At the same time, they can encourage those with vision loss to do the same.

Technology has become essential in most Americans’ lives. The need for accessible and usable apps and websites is high. Practitioners can advocate for these with developers and encourage those with vision loss to do the same. As a practitioner, one has a responsibility to stay abreast of changing technologies and to teach those they work with how to use technology efficiently.

Future Research

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals taking part in the Flatten Inaccessibility study (Rosenblum et al., 2020) had concerns related to transportation. Their responses to questions shed light on both systemic and COVID-19 pandemic challenges related to transportation. Future studies that examine the short- and long-term effects of the pandemic on transportation access for people with vision loss are needed. As part of these studies, examination of the social-emotional effect of the pandemic on individuals with visual impairments must be considered. We must understand how actual disruption, or the fear of disruption, of transportation affected all aspects of the lives of those with vision loss in addition to the effect of financial circumstances and available social support. In summary, as one respondent stated, “[T]ransportation access is essential for people with disabilities like myself because it provides independence.”