I am committed to protecting full door-door Wheel-Trans service for all Torontonians who need it. At the TTC Board meeting in December, I fought alongside disability and transit advocate groups to protect the service and to ensure that the voices of persons with disabilities are represented. TTC has expressed a desire to shift more people to a “Family of Service” (FOS) model that includes trips with both Wheel-Trans and the use of the “conventional system”. I am strongly opposed to forcing mandatory family of service trips on Wheel-Trans users.
There are many problems with the FOS model that have been highlighted by advocates, most importantly being the inaccessibility of the conventional system. While the City has been investing significantly into station upgrades to make its stations more accessible, many issues remain with elevators and escalators that are frequently out of service. That’s why I moved a motion at TTC Board requesting staff to report back with an equity analysis of the impacts of FOS trips on Wheel-Trans users, which was approved by the board. I remain deeply committed to fighting to protect Wheel Trans service for the people who rely on it.