ALUM IN THE NEWS
CNET: This App Connects Public Transit Riders to Live ASL Interpreters
February 10, 2025
CNET
Starting Monday, the Metropolitan Transit Authority will make it easier for deaf and hard-of-hearing New Yorkers and tourists to communicate with transit staff by scanning a QR code. That code will lead them to an app called Convo Now, which will connect them with a live sign language interpreter so they can more easily engage with MTA staff and get answers to any questions.
The pilot program kicks off in over a dozen locations (listed below) and will be free to transit users. The QR codes will be posted on green signs on a window or booth, and will direct users to a live ASL interpreter in the Convo Now app, making it easier for MTA employees who may not know ASL to engage with more riders. The program is launching through the Transit Tech Lab, an initiative created by the MTA and the Partnership Fund for New York City to make the city's transit more accessible and efficient.