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Research Projects

Airport Cooperative Research Program       

Since 2015, Open Doors Organization has contributed to or led a number of projects funded by the Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP). The following reports, all of which are designed to help airports and other aviation stakeholders improve their services and facilities for travelers with functional limitations, are available for free download from the TRB.

ACRP 0723

The Open Doors Organization consults on several research projects including ACRP 0723: Safety, Empowerment, and Dignity: Improving the Airport Journey of Customers Using Wheelchairs. The airport can often be a frustrating environment for someone who utilizes a wheelchair for mobility. ACRP 0732 aims to develop a handbook to help airport industry practitioners meet the needs of wheelchair users and enhance their personal safety, empowerment, and dignity.

ACRP 0722

The Open Doors Organization consults on several research projects including ACRP 0722: Improving Accessibility and Airport Experience for Neurodivergent Individuals and Individuals with Dementia-Related Conditions. Due to the recent increase in neurodivergent travelers, researchers have noticed that the traditional design and operation of terminals may not be sufficient to accommodate neurodivergent individuals and individuals with dementia-related conditions. ACRP 0722 aims to develop a guide to help airport industry practitioners meet the needs of neurodivergent individuals.

ITS4US Complete Trip Buffalo Project

The Open Doors Organization (ODO) consults on several research projects including the ITS4US Complete Trip: Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus project. The purpose of this project is to provide accessible, reliable, and safe transit options for travelers with disabilities, older adults, low-income individuals, rural residents, veterans, and limited English residents to Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC). This project’s goal is to increase community mobility and access to jobs, healthcare, and services to traditionally underserved populations. The project is a complete trip platform with a mobile app, website, and call center for on-demand wayfinding. The call center is run by the VIA with accessible training materials produced by ODO. The project recently underwent an operational readiness DOT inspection to determine go ahead with Phase 3.   

ATTRI Stakeholder Engagement and User Needs

The Accessible Transportation Technologies Research Initiative (ATTRI) is a joint U.S. DOT program that is co-led by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration. ATTRI’s goal is to develop and implement transformative applications to improve mobility options for all travelers, particularly those with disabilities. In 2015-16, Open Doors Organization contributed its expertise to an early ATTRI project led by Battelle Memorial Institute that explored user needs through an extensive literature review, three webinars and an in-person workshop held in Washington, DC. Eric Lipp, ODO Executive Director, acted as facilitator for the three webinars and provided an overview of the findings at the DC workshop. The resulting ATTRI User Needs Assessment: Stakeholder Engagement Report examines the needs of three targeted groups—persons with disabilities, veterans with disabilities, and older adults, the barriers they face and which types of technologies show the most potential to meet those needs.