A new report called “Access for Everyone? Publicly Operated HandyDART” was released last week. It shows TransLink’s HandyDART contractor is failing to meet the demand for HandyDART services. The report found that in 2022 TransLink provided just half the HandyDART service per senior as it had in 2008. Read the press release and full report here: https://ecoplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Access-for-Everyone-media-release-2023-05-02.pdf

DABC is endorsing the report. Along with unions, climate, and seniors groups, we call on TransLink to bring HandyDART in house and operate the service directly, instead of contracting it out to private businesses. We believe this will improve services.

The Vancouver and District Labour Council is seeking speakers with experience using HandyDART who are willing to speak at an upcoming mayors’ meeting, in support of Translink providing HandyDART services directly. Please contact DABC if you want to speak at the mayors’ meeting, or you can register here: https://www.translink.ca/about-us/about-translink/mayors-council-on-regional-transportation#speaking-at-mayors-council-meetings.

The B.C. government has announced that additional funding has been allocated to launch its Passenger Transportation Accessibility Program: https://globalnews.ca/news/9452049/b-c-funding-program-accessible-taxis/

DABC is pleased to see that additional funding will support increasing the amount of accessible taxis available, and we certainly hope that the owners/operators of these taxis will receive comprehensive and meaningful accessibility training.

However, we also recognize that this new initiative may not address another important issue facing people with disabilities using taxis: there are still too many incidents of taxi drivers choosing not to pick up riders who use wheelchairs/mobility aids, or refusing to accept taxi-savers for individuals that can’t be picked up by HandyDART.

As part of the Province’s goal to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in BC, DABC was first selected by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (MSDPR) in 2018 to distribute funding to community based “Accessibility Projects.” With the successful administration of the Accessibility Project Grants in 2018-2021, DABC was again selected to administer Accessibility Project Grants in 2022. On December 2nd, 2022, MSDPR announced the successful projects for 2022.

Read about this year’s successful accessibility projects here: Successful Accessibility Projects (2022)

For more information about Accessibility Project Grants as well as past funded projects, visit:
https://disabilityalliancebc.org/program/accessibility-projects/.

You can also read the Province’s media release here.

We are very excited to see the 12 successful organizations take on these diverse projects promoting inclusivity and accessibility for people with disabilities!