On November 16th, 2023, DABC made a presentation to the Special Committee to Review Passenger Directed Vehicles.

DABC’s Cynthia Minh identified a number of issues that people with disabilities often face when accessing passenger directed vehicles:

1. Passenger directed vehicle firms and services may not have enough training or understanding about disability or how to work with people with disabilities.  
2. There is a lack of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAV), and not every firm offers these WAV options to people with disabilities.
3. Passenger directed vehicle services can better communicate with people with disabilities regarding access needs.  
4. Accessible vehicles may present feelings of concern around safety.
5. People with disabilities can face additional costs when using passenger directed vehicles.  
6. Ride Hailing vehicles may not be available for people without digital access.  
7. Drivers with disabilities may also have access needs. 

DABC made a number of recommendations that could help address the issues identified above:

1. Regulations around accessibility should be requisite for passenger directed vehicle companies and these regulations should be held to existing provincial and federal accessibility standards. 
2. Workers should be well trained on accessibility issues and must take a trauma informed approach when interacting with passengers. Trainings should be supported by strong evaluation methods that ensures that knowledge gained does not end with training but is reflected in practice.  
3. Workers should be protected under standards set by existing working and employment standards, with a disability lens in mind (E.g. better wage protection, work injury protection laws) 
4. The extra costs around disability should not add financial burden to passengers. Costs should be made lower not higher for people with disabilities on lower incomes 
5. There should be formal complaints procedures set in place to report any discrimination faced in passenger directed vehicle services 
6. People with disabilities and disability organizations should be hired and included in the planning stages instead of just as external consultants  
7. Plans need to implement universal design. Many times, policies are enacted and need to be modified after they are legislated to include accessibility. Ensuring universal design would allow accessibility considerations to be embedded within the beginning stages of service delivery.  

Read the full presentation here: Presentation to Special Committee to Review Passenger Directed Vehicles

Are you concerned about Translink’s increasing use of taxis to perform HandyDART trips? Are you worried about the service’s lack of public accountability?

Join the Save Our HandyDART! Virtual Townhall

DATE: Wednesday, September 20th
TIME: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM PDT
LOCATION: Online, via Zoom
REGISTER:

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.