On October 4, 2001, First Union National Bank announced the first installation of audio-assisted or “talking” ATMs in Maryland, New Jersey and North Carolina. The effort, hailed by the blindness community, includes the installation of 19 audio-assisted ATMs in those states, as well as in Pennsylvania, Florida and Washington, D.C. In the next nine months, more than 100 machines will be installed in these states and other First Union locations.
First Union National Bank and Wachovia Bank, N.A., are banking subsidiaries of the holding company Wachovia Corporation, which was created through the September 1, 2001 merger of First Union Corporation and Wachovia Corporation.
“First Union is excited to offer audio-assisted ATMs throughout our markets,” said Cece Sutton, executive vice president and Retail Banking Executive for Wachovia Corporation. “Supporters of the blindness community have been terrific partners in our quest to provide banking independence to our customers with visual impairments. Through the installation of audio-assisted ATMs, we are able to offer visually impaired customers greater convenience in accessing their First Union accounts.”
“We applaud First Union’s demonstrated commitment to improving banking accessibility for blind and visually impaired people,” said Pat Yarborough, a representative of the North Carolina Council of the Blind.
During the next nine months, First Union plans to enhance select ATMs to include audio guidance and instructions for all transactions, including “spoken” customer balances. The ATMs also will be equipped with universal audio jacks that work with standard earphones.
Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian, two California lawyers who have assisted members of the blindness community around the country, said, “The expanded First Union services will benefit the blindness community as well as all persons who have difficulty reading standard print.”
Tom Earle, with the Disabilities Law Project in Philadelphia, praised First Union for the initiative. “I urge other financial institutions to follow its example in providing independent access for all customers to a wide array of banking services,” said Earle.
More information can be obtained by calling 1-800-ASK-FUNB or by visiting the First Union web site at www.firstunion.com.
Locations of First Union’s Audio Assisted ATMs
District of Columbia
1510 K St. NW
Florida
Coral Springs: 3300 University Dr.
Lake Worth: 120 N. Dixie Highway
Naples: 6155 Town Center Circle
Tampa: 10430 Highland Manor Dr.
Maryland
Baltimore: 7 St. Paul Street
North Carolina
Charlotte: 301 S. Tryon St. and 1525 W.T. Harris Blvd.
Mooresville: 631 Brawley School Rd.
Durham: 201 N. Roxboro Rd.
New Jersey
Kendall Park: 3510 Route 27
Pennsylvania
Allentown: 702 Hamilton Mall
Newton Square: 3515 W. Chester Pike
Philadelphia: 1500 Market Street, 2 W. Girard Ave., 601 Chestnut St., 6208 Lancaster Ave., 340-50 S. Second St., 1 N. 5th St., 123 S. Broad St., and 1712 Walnut St.
Scranton: 130 Wyoming Ave.