Become a Travel Trainer
Overview
How It Works
- Disability Rights & Resources will assess each individual for travel training and assign a travel trainer (such as yourself).
- You, the travel trainer, will communicate with the consumer about their desired destinations and schedule. The two of you will make a plan to travel train, and arrange a time to meet for their first travel training session.
- Before the consumer’s first travel training session, you will complete a “route and scout”, where you will travel their route solo. Along the way, you can identify any potential barriers or difficulties they might have because of their disability, and plan out how to navigate them. You will be paid for a “route and scout” just like a normal travel training session!
- At the scheduled day and time, you will meet the consumer one-on-one at their origin point, which may be their home, workplace, school, or a bus stop. Together, you will travel their desired route, which may be a round trip or one-way. Along the way, you will guide them through the skills necessary to travel the route independently and safely, including how to handle emergencies that may arise.
- After the session is complete, you will complete a few pieces of paperwork to document the session and send it to Disability Rights & Resources.
- If necessary, you will then schedule additional sessions with the consumer, until they are comfortable traveling independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Travel training is a flexible earning opportunity, and how frequent your sessions are can vary widely based on your availability and the needs of our consumers.
Q: How do I become a travel trainer?
A: First, contact Jordan Hayes, the Let’s All Go! Program Coordinator, to indicate your interest. She will schedule an interview to determine if you are a good fit for the Let’s All Go! program. If the interview goes well, we will offer you a contract. Once you sign the contract, we will provide any necessary training and orientation for the program, and then begin assigning you consumers.
Q: Are travel trainers employees of Disability Rights & Resources?
A: No, travel trainers are independent contractors. If we decide you are a good fit for our program, we will sign a contract with you, and you will invoice us for your services. As such, you have complete control over your schedule. You are also free to take a job elsewhere, and fit travel training in around your existing schedule.
We do not withhold income or payroll taxes from our payments to you, and you are responsible for all applicable taxes, including self-employment taxes. If your earnings over the course of a calendar year exceed $600, we will issue you a form 1099-NEC. Otherwise, we will simply give you an annual statement of your earnings.
Q: How often should I expect to travel train?
A: Travel training is a flexible earning opportunity, and how frequent your sessions are can vary widely based on your availability and the needs of our consumers. Some travel trainers have only one or two sessions per month. At times, some travel trainers have had two or three sessions every week.
Q: Will Disability Rights & Resources provide the bus passes and tickets necessary for travel training?
A: Yes! We will provide the necessary bus passes and tickets for both the consumer and the travel trainer to use during travel training sessions.
Q: I am not a frequent user of public transit myself. Can I still become a travel trainer?
A: Experience using public transit is a big plus, but not a requirement. It’s more important to be a good communicator, and be comfortable working one-on-one with people who have all different kinds of disabilities. If we decide you are a good fit for the Let’s All Go! program, we will provide the resources and training you need to be successful as a travel trainer. You will be compensated for your time spent in training.
Q: Is it always $130 per session? What if a session is very long?
A: $130 is a fixed rate per session, but if a session runs longer than 5 hours, we will provide an additional $45, for a total of $175.