ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority will again open some OC Buses to the dogs for Service Animal Training Day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC).
The event, held twice a year, gives service and therapy animals real-world practice in helping people with special needs navigate public spaces. Training includes exposure to distractions such as loud noises, crowds, and other real-life conditions that animals may encounter while working in the community.
Trainers and their animals can ride free of charge on special buses operating between ARTIC, the Downtown Disney District, and Anaheim GardenWalk. A roundtrip training bus will depart approximately every 15 minutes, allowing trainers to board, ride and exit multiple times to enhance their animal’s training.
Free parking will be available in Lot A at ARTIC, located at 2626 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim.
Participants are also welcome to ride Metrolink trains to the event; standard Metrolink fares apply.
Alumni, family, and friends are also invited to join in the event. Registration is available in advance or onsite beginning at 7:30 a.m. on the day of the event.
For more information or to register in advance, visit octa.net/ServiceAnimal.
About OCTA
The Orange County Transportation Authority is the county transportation planning commission, responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for a balanced and sustainable transportation system that reflects the diverse travel needs of the county’s 34 cities and 3.2 million residents. With the mission of keeping Orange County moving, this includes freeways and express lanes, bus and rail transit, rideshare, commuter rail and active transportation. To sign up for more OCTA news, visit octa.net/GetConnected.
There is no precise national statistic publicly available that quantifies how many disabled individuals use service animals on U.S. public buses, but here’s what we do know based on federal guidelines and available data:
Key Insights
- Service Animals Are Protected by Law
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, public transportation providers must allow service animals to accompany individuals with disabilities on buses and other transit systems. - Definition of Service Animal
A service animal is defined by the DOT as: “Any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability”. This includes tasks like:- Guiding individuals with visual impairments
- Alerting individuals with hearing impairments
- Assisting with mobility
- Detecting seizures or psychiatric episodes
- Estimated Use of Specialized Assistance
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, about 23% of individuals with disabilities need specialized assistance or equipment to travel outside the home. This category includes service animals, wheelchairs, walkers, and other aids. - Service Animal Use Is Common but Not Tracked Separately
While many transit agencies report frequent service animal use, especially in urban areas, no centralized database tracks how many disabled riders bring service animals on public buses.
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