MTA Celebrates Autism Acceptance Month with Subway Announcements Recorded by People With Autism

Blue lights in Penn Station in honor of Autism Acceptance Month on Thursday, Apr 10, 2025. Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA

Celebration Also Includes Blue Station Lights and Digital Screen Messages 

Listen to Station Announcements Recorded by Children and Adults with Autism 

View Photos of Blue Lights at Penn Station and Grand Central Madison

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today invited children with autism to the Fulton Center A, C, J, Z, 2, 3, 4, 5 subway station in Lower Manhattan to listen to station announcements they recorded as part of a comprehensive public service campaign in celebration of Autism Acceptance Month.  

In partnership with New York City Public Schools and INCLUDEnyc, students with autism from both private and public organizations recorded subway station announcements advising riders to follow subway rules of conduct and reminding listeners that it is Autism Acceptance Month. Family members of MTA employees and families with My Time Inc also participated in recording announcements. Children were accompanied by family members to meet MTA leaders, a car equipment maintenance supervisor, a train service supervisor, a subway conductor, a platform controller, a bus operator, a customer service agent and other transit workers to ask them questions and listen to their announcements being played.

To increase awareness and celebrate the millions of people living with autism, select announcements will play on 15-minute intervals in select stations across the subway system through April 30. This builds on the MTA’s public service campaign which first launched on April 1. Long Island Rail Road concourses at Penn Station and Grand Central Madison are lit up in blue and digital screens across the transit system are displaying Autism Acceptance Month messages throughout the month. 

Announcements will play on 15-minute intervals at the following stations: 

• Fulton Street A, C, J, Z, 2, 3, 4, 5        
• 96 St Q 
• E 180 St 2, 5  
• 14 St Union Square L, N, Q, R, W, 4, 5, 6        
• Times Square N, Q, R, W, 4, 5, 6       
• 34th St Penn Station 1, 2, 3        
• Bowling Green 4, 5  
• Atlantic Av Barclays B, D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, 5            
• Flatbush Av 2, 5  
• Forest Hills 71st Av E, F, M, R    
• Queensboro Plaza N, W, 7    

Announcements were recorded by participants from the following schools and organizations: 

• The Cooke School
• Children’s Academy
• SINAI at SAR
• Aaron High School
• Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem
• Manhattan Behavioral Center
• P.S. 075 Emily Dickinson School
• Bronxdale High School
• P.S. 372 The Children’s School
• P.S. K053 
• The David Marquis School of the Arts 
• P.S. X176 
• P.S. M721 – Manhattan Occupational Training Center 
• P.S. R373 
• P.S. X017 
• P.S. K004
• P.S. 368K Star Academy 
• Ralph R. McKee Career and Technical Education High School
• New Dorp High School 
• P.S. 084 Jose De Diego 
• P.S. 133 Fred R Moore 
• P.S. 6 Corporal Allan F. Kivlehan School 
• New Design Middle School 
• P.S. 181 Brookfield 
• One World Middle School at Edenwald 
• P.S. 028 Mount Hope Centennial School
• P.S. 145 Andrew Jackson 
• P.S. X012 Lewis and Clark School 
• J.H.S. 014 Shell Bank 
• P.S. 153 Maspeth Elementary
• New York City Lab Middle School for Collaborative Studies
• Millennium Art Academy
• P.S. 138 
• P.S. 171 Peter G. Van Alst
• Staten Island Technical High School 

Autism Acceptance Month works to foster inclusion and increase understanding on what it means to be a person with autism while celebrating their accomplishments and contributions to society.