The Washington-area transit system has teamed up with nonprofits in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia to provide comprehensive, individualized training to people with significant disabilities on how to get around using public transportation.

The two-year pilot program was launched last week by Metro. It's meant for people who need more than the one-day orientations that Metro now provides. The transit agency has been providing free, one-day orientations on its bus and rail system to individuals and groups for more than five years.

The new program was made possible by almost $1 million in federal funds that Metro was awarded in June 2009. Each of the three disability advocacy groups that Metro has partnered with for the project has hired two full-time travel trainers.

-Associated Press