Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Mobility & Accessibility Consultant

🎯 Role Definition

The Mobility & Accessibility Consultant advises public agencies, transport operators, developers, and technology vendors on creating accessible, inclusive, and safe mobility systems for people of all ages and abilities. This role leads accessibility audits of physical infrastructure and digital services, defines technical specifications and procurement requirements, designs universal wayfinding and user journeys, runs co‑design workshops with users with disabilities, and ensures regulatory and standards compliance (ADA, AODA, EN 301 549, WCAG). The consultant combines transport planning and human‑centered design to improve first/last mile connections, inclusive vehicle and station design, and Mobility-as-a-Service offerings with measurable accessibility KPIs.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Transportation Planner
Accessibility Specialist / Auditor
UX Researcher with mobility focus

Advancement To:

Senior Mobility & Accessibility Consultant
Accessibility Program Lead / Head of Inclusive Mobility
Principal Consultant — Transport & Inclusion

Lateral Moves:

Inclusive Design Lead (Digital & Physical)
Transit Operations Accessibility Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct comprehensive accessibility audits of transit stations, bus stops, sidewalks, public spaces, and vehicle interiors using a combination of field survey protocols, checklists, photographic documentation, and measurement tools to produce prioritized remediation plans and cost estimates.
Lead digital accessibility assessments for mobile apps, trip planners, ticketing platforms, kiosks and websites using WCAG 2.1/2.2 criteria, automated and manual testing methods, and assistive technology (screen readers, magnifiers, switch devices), providing clear remediation tickets and acceptance criteria.
Develop inclusive mobility strategies and masterplans that integrate universal design, first/last mile solutions, demand-responsive transit, and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) concepts, with phased implementation roadmaps and performance metrics.
Write detailed technical specifications and procurement requirements for accessible infrastructure, rolling stock, ticketing systems, wayfinding signage, and digital services to ensure conformance with ADA, EN standards, national building codes and local accessibility bylaws.
Design and facilitate co‑design workshops and participatory research sessions that recruit diverse users (people with mobility, sensory, cognitive, and neurodiverse needs) to validate journey maps, personas, and service concepts.
Perform pedestrian and passenger flow analysis, platform-train interface studies, and boarding/alighting time modeling to recommend engineering and operational changes that reduce barriers and dwell time.
Create accessible wayfinding strategies—visual, tactile and digital—including signage specifications, tactile paving layouts, audible announcements and real‑time accessible information for passengers with diverse needs.
Provide technical advisory for accessible vehicle procurement, including floor heights, ramps/bridges, securement areas, passenger information systems, and driver training requirements.
Produce accessibility impact assessments and equality impact statements for new transport projects, developments and mobility innovations, including identification of mitigation measures and design alternatives.
Deliver training programs and toolkits for transit staff, customer service teams and contractors on disability awareness, assistance techniques, inclusive customer service, and accessible operations and maintenance procedures.
Conduct usability testing and acceptance testing of accessible features with end users and stakeholders, document test cases, record defects, and verify remediations against pass/fail criteria.
Analyze travel behavior and ridership data with an equity lens, using GIS, origin-destination analysis, and accessibility indicators (isochrones, service coverage) to prioritize improvements that increase mobility for underserved communities.
Advise on inclusive ticketing and fare policy design, ensuring fare media, vending machines and validation devices meet accessibility requirements and minimize exclusionary barriers.
Prepare grant applications, funding proposals and business cases that quantify accessibility benefits, social return on investment, and cost‑benefit scenarios for retrofits and new accessibility projects.
Support regulatory compliance reviews and represent clients in meetings with statutory authorities, disability advisory boards and standards bodies concerning accessibility interpretations and enforcement actions.
Contribute to the development of organizational accessibility policies, roadmaps and KPIs, establishing monitoring frameworks, reporting cycles and continuous improvement processes.
Coordinate multi-disciplinary project teams—including architects, civil engineers, UX designers, vehicle OEMs and vendors—to ensure accessibility requirements are integrated through design, construction and commissioning phases.
Create clear accessibility documentation and deliverables: technical reports, CAD/tactile detail drawings, accessible route maps, maintenance checklists and accessible design review templates.
Develop and monitor accessibility testing plans for new services and infrastructure rollouts, including pre-launch pilots, remedial actions and post‑implementation user satisfaction surveys.
Provide expert witness support and mediation services for accessibility disputes, procurement evaluations and contract change requests related to mobility projects.
Design and implement digital-first accessible solutions such as inclusive trip planning features, voice-enabled interfaces, simplified UI modes, and personalized accessibility preferences within MaaS apps.
Lead risk assessments and safety reviews for mobility interventions, identifying hazards related to gradient ramps, platform gaps, kerb heights, lighting and tactile surfaces and recommending mitigation measures compliant with standards.
Establish and track accessibility KPIs (e.g., accessible stop coverage, % of fleet accessible, customer satisfaction for passengers with disabilities) and produce executive dashboards for steering committees.
Support pilots of assistive technologies—such as on-demand paratransit booking, autonomous shuttles with accessibility features, or Bluetooth wayfinding beacons—and evaluate effectiveness against defined success metrics.
Conduct stakeholder consultations with disability advocacy groups, municipalities, planning authorities and operators to build consensus and co-produce feasible accessibility upgrades.
Review and verify contractor and supplier deliverables for accessibility compliance during construction, commissioning and warranty periods; manage punch lists and acceptance sign‑offs.

Secondary Functions

Maintain an accessibility knowledge base and reusable templates (audit checklists, procurement clauses, test scripts) to accelerate project delivery and ensure consistency across engagements.
Support business development by preparing proposals, capability statements and case studies that highlight measurable outcomes in inclusive mobility programs.
Assist client teams in preparing internal training modules and e-learning content focused on accessibility best practices and standard operating procedures.
Monitor emerging accessibility standards, assistive technologies and mobility innovations to advise clients on future-proofing investments and piloting new approaches.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Deep knowledge of accessibility standards and legislation: ADA (US), EN 301 549 (EU), AODA (Ontario), WCAG 2.1/2.2 (digital), and relevant local building and transport codes.
Conducting accessibility audits for both built environment and digital platforms; skilled in manual testing with assistive technologies (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver) and accessibility evaluation tools (axe, WAVE, Lighthouse).
Transport planning and operations knowledge: network planning, timetable integration, demand-responsive transit, and MaaS architecture.
GIS and spatial analysis for accessibility mapping (ArcGIS, QGIS), isochrone analysis and origin-destination studies.
Experience with pedestrian flow and station capacity modeling; familiarity with PTV Visum/Vissim or equivalent tools is a plus.
Ability to write technical specifications, procurement clauses, and acceptance criteria for accessible services, vehicles and infrastructure.
Usability testing and co‑design facilitation skills; proficiency in running focus groups, workshops and in-field testing with diverse user groups.
Proficiency in producing technical drawings or reviewing CAD/BIM deliverables to confirm accessible detailing (clearances, ramp gradients, tactile layouts).
Data analysis and visualization skills (Excel, Power BI/Tableau) to create accessibility KPIs, dashboards and monitoring reports.
Knowledge of assistive technologies, beaconing, real‑time passenger information systems and digital accessibility APIs and data standards (GTFS, GTFS‑RT, GBFS).
Experience developing training materials and conducting accessibility awareness and operations training for frontline staff.
Project management skills (planning, risk management, budgeting, stakeholder coordination) and familiarity with agile delivery methods where applicable.

Soft Skills

Strong stakeholder management and facilitation skills; able to engage government agencies, operators, advocacy groups and technical teams.
Empathy and lived-experience-centered approach when conducting user research and co-design with people with disabilities.
Clear technical writing and presentation skills; able to translate complex standards into practical, procurement-ready guidance.
Problem-solving mindset with ability to prioritize interventions for high-impact accessibility gains.
Cross-disciplinary collaboration skills; comfortable coordinating architects, engineers, product teams and operations staff.
Persuasive communication for change management and securing buy‑in across organizational levels.
Cultural sensitivity and inclusiveness when working with diverse communities and stakeholder groups.
Attention to detail for compliance testing and quality assurance during rollout and commissioning.
Time management and ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in parallel.
Continuous learner mindset to keep up with evolving accessibility standards and mobility innovations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation Sciences, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Transport Planning, Inclusive Design, Urban Design, Human Factors, or MBA with policy/transportation focus.
Professional certifications in accessibility auditing, Universal Design, or specific credentials (e.g., CPACC, WAS, Certified Accessible IT Specialist) are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Urban & Transport Planning
Architecture & Civil Engineering
Human-Computer Interaction / UX Design
Disability Studies / Rehabilitation Sciences
Public Policy / Inclusive Design

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years for mid-level consultant roles; 7+ years for senior or lead consultant positions.

Preferred:

Proven experience delivering accessibility audits and mobility projects for public agencies or transport operators.
Demonstrated track record of co‑design with people with disabilities and delivering measurable accessibility outcomes (e.g., % increase in accessible stops, reduced boarding times).
Experience drafting procurement requirements and overseeing accessibility compliance through design, construction and handover stages.