CLEVELAND — The Cleveland bus system and a group of volunteers are working to help refugees get acclimated to the United States.

Joe Schwarten is a huge advocate for equitable public transportation. 

“I just handed them all day passes for the RTA bus transit system,” Schwarten said.

He’s volunteering with Cleveland’s Refugee Bus Training Program to help newly-arrived Afghan refugees learn how to navigate the city’s rapid transit system.

“It's best to know [and] learn your bus system, because it's the best and easy way to get around locally, especially if you don't have a car and you're just starting out brand new in a city,” Schwarten said.

The program teaches refugees how to use transportation apps and read bus stop signs. They also take a practice ride to a destination that they’ll visit frequently and learn bus etiquette.

“No food, no listening to music out loud,” Schwarten explained to a group on the bus.

They are life skills that trainee Ramzia Nasiri said will help her transition to life in the United States.

“We don’t have a [big] bus in Afghanistan, it’s so small and so easy,” Nasiri said.

Trainings take them to a stop that is near their new jobs.

Then, with a pull of the signal, they request their stop and they get off the bus to complete their first official trip on the RTA.

“It’s exciting for us to [be] learning [the] bus,” Nasiri said. “I’m so happy to know how to go to town [on] the bus.”

Muhammad Rahimi said he can't help but be proud of his accomplishments. He took a selfie in front of his brand new workplace. 

“This is very good for me,” Rahimi said.

Before they head back toward their home, Schwarten said it’s his goal to raise awareness about the program.

“We’re trying to get as many people through as we can," he said. "Normally, each volunteer normally does one every two weeks or so, and it's a constantly growing program right now."

If you're interested in volunteering with this program, visit this website.