Why some Wheel-Trans users fear losing full access to door-to-door trips

For the last 15 years, Maayan Ziv has been picked up by a Wheel-Trans vehicle and driven directly to her destination. She fears her independence will eventually be reduced after having her eligibility for the specialized service changed.

“When I’m just trying to live my life, do my job, experience the same as anybody else would, Wheel-Trans has been pretty integral to my ability to do that,” Ziv told CityNews.

As the TTC moves towards full compliance with Ontario’s accessibility laws, thousands of Wheel-Trans users who have relied on individualized rides for decades are now being reassessed.

Some are worried about losing full door-to-door service forcing them to navigate both the traditional transit system and Toronto’s streets.

“There are still areas of the city that are hard for me to navigate. Especially with the amount of construction that happens,” not to mention the barriers that snow adds in the winter, noted Ziv.

In 2017, the TTC was mandated by provincial legislation to start placing Wheel-Trans users under three categories of eligibility: unconditional, conditional and temporary.

So far, 8,000 people have been sorted into the three designations, with some 11,000 customers to go.

Ziv was recently assigned conditional eligibility, meaning she may have to take a bus, streetcar or subway for certain trips.

“And only when that’s not available or during rush hour am I allowed to book a direct door-to-door ride,” she said. “I don’t know if my disability wasn’t reflected properly on a piece of paper.”

The assessment process is based on a series of questions about customers’ abilities, transportation needs and the barriers they experience, and includes a section for their doctor to fill out.

“Can you read signage? Can you navigate on your own in the conventional system? If you’re answering yes to some of those questions, then that obviously points you into the direction of, OK, maybe you could be a conditional customer,” said Head of Wheel-Trans Cameron Penman.

Riding the conventional transit system is still completely voluntary and no date has been set when conditional customers will be compelled to take the TTC. But Penman said the goal is to have everyone reregistered over the next two years.

“We do understand there’s nuances, every disability is different. All we can do is encourage customers to give us as much information as possible,” he said.

The Chair of the TTC’s Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit said the agency is trying to give people every advantage possible to accessible transit. Still, it acknowledged there is concern among legacy clients.

“Most customers are very confused. They’re getting the letters of reregistration so they’re anxious because they’ve had service for so long and they think they’ve been taken off of it,” said Anita Dressler. “They need more reassurance that they still have services.”

Penman said aside from just over a dozen subway stations, all of the TTC’s vehicles are completely accessible. However, the accessibility of a station can change – like say if an elevator breaks down.

Ziv will now have to complete a functional assessment with an occupational therapist to appeal her designation. Roughly two per cent of reregistrants have submitted an appeal. Ziv contends it’s a time-consuming and unnecessary burden that puts the onus on the individual to re-prove their disability.

“It’s really frustrating,” she said. “It shouldn’t be the responsibility of the individual to jump through hoops and hurdles every time they just want to receive equitable access.”