JAM Card will make transport in Ireland disabled-friendly

Passengers with a learning disability, autism, or any other communication barrier will benefit from a new JAM Card initiative announced by the National Transport Authority of Ireland.  

JAM Card is a social innovation from NOW Group, an organisation based in Belfast, which allows people with a learning disability or a communication barrier to indicate easily and discreetly that they might need ‘Just A Minute’ when accessing public transport.

It will be introduced on all public transportation platforms, the aim is to make public transportation safe and accessible for all passengers, regardless of their circumstances. JAM Cards are available in the standard card form or as a smartphone app for ease of access and are used by over 35,000 people in the UK and Northern Ireland on public transport as well as in shops, restaurants, and other public spaces. Drivers on all Transport for Ireland platforms have been adequately trained to recognize the JAM Card, ensuring that Ireland is on the journey to becoming fully JAM Card-friendly.

Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority, said: “We are proud to partner with NOW Group in this fantastic initiative, one that will make getting around the country easier and more comfortable for everyone. Public transportation can be overwhelming at times, and the JAM Card allows users to signal to drivers in a discreet and dignified manner that they might need ‘Just A Minute’. We hope that using the JAM Card will help passengers to feel more confident when using public transport. We are particularly grateful to Ciaran Delaney; without his advocacy on this issue we would not be here today launching the JAM Card.”

Shane Ross TD, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, added: “Quite often, disabilities and communication barriers are invisible. I believe the JAM Card will help the general public to be more patient and understanding when interacting with others on public transportation”.

To get a JAM Card, users can request one directly by visiting the JAM Card website and filling out the request form.

JAM Cards will be available at Dublin Bus’s O’Connell Street office, as well as at the following Iarnród Éireann stations:

• Connolly Station, Dublin
• Pearse Station, Dublin
• Heuston Station, Dublin
• Kent Station, Cork
• Ceannt Station, Galway
• Colbert Station, Limerick
• Plunkett Station, Waterford
• MacDiarmada Station, Sligo

The JAM Card is also available as an app for Android and iOS.