Sometime shortly after 5 a.m. every workday, Joe Jones’ radio wakes him to rock ’n’ roll or maybe a little country music.It’s the start of a daily routine that includes a walk in the dark on a street with no sidewalks and three bus rides on his way to Potomac Work Center on Osceola Avenue in Tallmadge. That’s where he and other Weaver Industries employees repackage Kong dog toys for resale.Being on time, keeping track of bus schedules and making all of the connections can be a daunting task for anyone, but for many people with disabilities, it can be scary, challenging and confusing. A Summit County Developmental Disabilities employee who was supposed to join Jones and a Beacon Journal reporter down the line missed his stop Monday morning.For Jones, 28, the trip was a daily routine with a minor bump.Jones, a former Kenmore High School football player, is not alone. Kevin McGee, spokesman for Summit County Developmental Disabilities, said the agency finds moving its clients on public transportation is a cheaper alternative, and about 300 clients use it every day. About 60 go through a Chapel Hill bus stop that has just been moved.Last week it was on mall property; now it is about 200 feet away on Buchholzer Boulevard.Instead of a parking lot with shelter, riders will wait on a street with no sidewalk or shelter.Changes like that can be a big obstacle for people with disabilities, said Maureen D. Schroder, community travel manager for Developmental Disabilities.“In our mind, it is minor, but in their mind, it could be a major change for them,” she said. “So we, of course, have to adapt to that and provide them all the reassurance as possible and let them know we are aware of it and we will be there.”Schroder said many of her clients have mental issues, and the anxiety of a change, however minor, can disturb them.Jones is high-functioning compared with other Summit DD clients and said he had no trouble making the shift. He rode one bus down West Market Street to the Metro Transit Center on Broadway, waited a few minutes, then got on a bus headed north. He got off the Metro bus on Buchholzer Boulevard, crossed four lanes of traffic and walked across the mall parking lot to the place where his co-workers were waiting for a Summit DD shuttle.Schroder and other staffers were there to make sure it went smoothly. They will be there all week.Metro also had representatives at the Chapel Hill stop to help travelers make the adjustment.Jones, who got on the first bus at 6:48 a.m., was at work in Tallmadge about 70 minutes later. He retraced the path home in the afternoon.Before Summit DD clients use transportation, Schroder’s team offers training on how to safely cross busy streets, get on buses and get off at the right stop. Some of the clients use wheelchairs, scooters or crutches and some must be taught how to recognize the red, yellow and green positions of traffic signals.“Our assessment is to see what possible barriers these people may or may not have,” Schroder said.Even when Summit DD staffers are not present, Jones is not alone. Riding on the buses with him were many co-workers. He knew most of their names, and they chatted about work and the Browns game all the way to work.The camaraderie returned in the afternoon when they were on their way home.Schroder, who is a problem solver when the trips don't go as planned, said the disabled riders often help each other find their way. But Monday was an uneventful day for Jones.“The day went smoothly and I didn’t have any problems,” he said. “I didn’t worry about anything.”Dave Scott can be reached at 330-996-3577 or davescott@thebeaconjournal.com.