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CAT is a not-for-profit, non-government, international organization established to disseminate the knowledge on, and support the development of, new technologies, systems, and related improvements to make transportation more accessible to all travelers, especially those who are less able as a result of a disability or age, regardless of national boundaries.



The ageing of national populations is a major factor in the increasing number of people who are transportation-disabled resulting in the growing demand for accessible transportation systems. World-wide there are now 472 million people over 65 years of age; by 2020 this number will increase by 50% to more than 707 million.

In Canada, the United States and Western Europe, the incidence of disability ranges from 17% to 27% of the total population in each country. At least one in 10 adults has a disability which makes it impossible or difficult to travel. In North America and Europe the number of people with disabilities that affect their travel exceeds 100 million. These numbers are growing at a significantly higher rate than that of the general population and it represents an increasing segment of the travel market. Any intelligent transportation system must be universally accessible or it would fail to provide the level of service to meet this demand. For the transportation industry, accessibility is more than human rights, safety, security and quality of life: it makes good business sense.



ICAT is an agent of change for the improvement of transportation accessibility. It is a public-private partnership - a forum of stakeholders. The scope of its program includes all types of public and private transport: walking, driving, local and long distance transport, infrastructure (roadway, stops and terminals) and modal integration. The needs of people with all types of temporary or permanent disabilities (physical, sensory, cognitive and mental impairments) as well as those of frail and elderly persons will be considered. Many of the accessibility improvements achieved by ICAT will also provide mobility, safety, and security benefits for all travelers (parents with baby-strollers, people with baggage, etc.)



ICAT is a not-for-profit corporation, under the Canada Corporations Act. ICAT's Board has representation from three countries: Canada, United Kingdom and United States. An Advisory Panel, composed of representatives from the sponsoring organizations and international experts from the general membership, guides the overall program direction of ICAT.

ICAT's core members have a combined total of over 100 years experience in the successful research, design, development, demonstration and commercialization of new technologies, development of training programs, development and implementation of policy and legislation, and the planning and development of other service improvements designed to make travel more accessible.

ICAT is actively recruiting members from all sectors internationally: including governments, private and corporate foundations, industry and consumer associations, international groups, professionals from all disciplines, manufacturers, carriers, universities, consulting firms, interested individuals and students, etc., who share a common vision for transportation accessibility. Geographical coverage is expected to span several continents: North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

ICAT's BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS

Chair - Uwe Rutenberg. MID, ACID

Mr. Rutenberg is President of Rutenberg Design Inc., a leading Canadian consulting firm that has specialized in Research, Design and Development of products and systems to make transportation accessible for all. He has championed Universal Design for over two decades. He has 30 years of experience in designing innovative transportation products and systems in Germany, Mexico and Canada. Mr. Rutenberg is an internationally recognized expert for technologies and requirement of persons with mobility or sensory impairments. He has won numerous international awards and is a regular speaker at national and international conferences and workshops.

Secretary General, CEO - Ling Suen

Mrs. Suen is the former Chair and an Emeritus Member of the Committee on Accessible Transportation and Mobility, US Transportation Research Board (TRB) in 2003. Formerly with the Transportation Development Centre (TDC) of Transport Canada, she conceptualized, planned and implemented a national Transportation Accessibility Research and Development (R&D) Program and a Human Factors R&D Program in transportation for over 20 years. Mrs. Suen is an internationally renowned transport researcher and manager. She has received numerous awards for her work including the Gold Medal of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada and the William G. Bell Award for outstanding international leadership in the field of accessible transportation, given by the US Transportation Research Board and US Academy of Sciences, both in 1994. She was the recipient of the 2000 Roger Tate Award for her significant contribution to accessible transportation literature. The award was conferred at TRANSED 2001 in Warsaw.

Tom Rickert, US Member

Mr. Rickert is the Founder and Executive Director of Access Exchange International (AEI), which assist less wealthy countries in the development of accessible transportation for persons with disabilities. AEI has worked extensively in Russia and South Africa, using US government grants, and Mr. Rickert has also been the keynote speaker at workshops on transit access in Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Costa Rica. He has also served on the committees for the 8th, 9th and 10th TRANSED conferences and is Chair of the Task Force on Less Developed Countries of the TRB Committee on Accessible Transportation and Mobility. He is the recipient of the 2003 William G. Bell Award for his lifelong contribution in making transportation accessible globally, conferred at TRANSED 2004, Hamamatsu, Japan.


Dr. C.G.B. (Kit) Mitchell, UK Member

Dr. Mitchell retired from the British Transport Research Laboratory. He was Head of the Environment Division from 1983, and developed and managed the Access & Mobility Division from 1981. He was a U.K. representative on the European Conference of Ministers of Transport Working Group on Transport for Disabled People, and the Chair of the Scientific Committee for the 7th International Conference on Mobility and Transportation for Elderly and Disabled People (COMOTRED) in England. During 1996 he was a Visiting Expert at Transport Canada's Transportation Development Centre in Montreal, advising on the potential of ITS for improving accessibility. He received the 2001 William G. Bell Award for outstanding leadership and service in accessible transportation. The award was conferred in TRANSED 2001 in Warsaw. He is the current co-chair of the US Transportation Research Board Committee on Accessible Transportation and Mobility, and the Task Force on Transportation in an Aging Society in 2003.

Bess Lander (Budd) Bell, US Member

Mrs. Bell, A.C.S.W. (Academy of Certified Social Workers), has been working with children at risk, the mentally impaired, and the ageing with health needs for the last six decades. She and her late husband Dr. William Bell, who was a Gerontologist, moved from Canada to Tallahassee in 1969, and for the last 30 years has been the volunteer Coordinator of the Clearinghouse on Human Services; an advocacy coalition which grew from its original five-members to 175 state-wide groups. Budd has also continued her husband's legacy of work in accessible transportation with the (U.S.) Transportation Research Board, nationally and internationally. Amongst the numerous awards that Mrs. Bell has received are two of special interest: The American with Disabilities Act Working Group Award recognizing her "Advocacy and Service to persons with Disabilities"; and the most recent, which addresses work with the mentally impaired which she shared with Rosalyn Carter (wife of former President Jimmy Carter). From 1994-2001, Mrs. Bell was a Florida State appointed Commissioner for the Transportation Disadvantaged.

Dr. Lalita Sen, US Member

Dr. Sen is a professor in the Department of Public Affairs, Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, USA since 1993. She has a Ph. D. in Transportation Geography from the Northwestern University. Presently she is a member of the Standing Committee on Accessible Transportation and Mobility, US Transportation Research Board. She is an internationally renowned transport researcher and teacher, specializing in regional and transportation planning policies, with particular emphasis in developing countries in Asia and in US Indian reservations. She has written extensively on transportation for seniors, persons with disabilities and minorities.

• equitable and integrated access for all people
• sustainable transportation and land-use development
• increased economic benefits (more working taxpayers, lower health care costs, less income support)

ICAT's program can help to achieve these benefits in Canada, the United States and internationally.






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