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Metro riders will hear a new group of voices in stations throughout April as 10 young transit enthusiasts with autism deliver recorded boarding and safety announcements.
The initiative marks Autism Acceptance Month and continues Metro’s four-year partnership with the Autism Transit Project, which highlights the strong connection many children with autism have with public transportation.
This year’s participants range in age from 6 to 19 and come from communities across the Washington region. Their messages include reminders to hold children’s hands on escalators and mind the gap while boarding and exiting trains.
Metro recently honored the participants with an event at West Falls Church station. The children toured a rail car and buses before joining Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke for a question-and-answer session.
Clarke said the announcements demonstrate Metro’s support for greater understanding, acceptance and inclusion while helping create a transit system where everyone feels welcome and valued.
Other participating transit systems include Bay Area Rapid Transit, Atlanta’s Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, New Jersey Transit, the Maryland Transit Administration and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
Metro serves approximately 4 million people across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Its system includes six rail lines, 98 stations, 126 bus routes and door-to-door paratransit service. It provided 268.9 million trips in 2025.