Wheel-Trans is a
paratransit
Paratransit is the term used in North America, also known by other names such as community transport ( UK) for transportation services that supplement fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. ...
system in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Ontario, Canada, provided by the
Toronto Transit Commission
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is the public transport agency that operates bus, subway, streetcar, and paratransit services in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, some of which run into the Peel Region and York Region. It is the oldest and largest ...
(TTC). It provides specialized door-to-door accessible transit services for persons with physical disabilities using its fleet of accessible
minibus
A minibus, microbus, minicoach, or commuter (in Zimbabwe) is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, th ...
es or contracted accessible
taxi
A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice ...
s. Users must register with the TTC who will typically grant access to those with permanent disabilities or show difficulty in traveling short distances. Wheel-Trans only provides service within the city of Toronto and accepts regular
TTC fare.
History
Wheel-Trans was born out of an initiative by the Trans-Action Coalition, a group led by
Beryl Potter
Beryl Potter was a British-born Canadian disability rights activist. She was involved in many disability rights organizations in Ontario including the Trans-Action Coalition, the Scarborough Recreation Club for Disabled Adults, the Ontario Actio ...
lobbying for transit accessibility in Toronto. The paratransit system was officially created in 1975 as a two-year pilot project contracted to Wheelchair Mobile and operated on behalf of
Metropolitan Toronto
The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was an upper-tier level of municipal government in Ontario, Canada, from 1953 to 1998. It was made up of the old city of Toronto and numerous townships, towns and villages that surrounded Toronto, whic ...
and the province of
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
until 1976.
Only individuals using wheelchairs were accepted as the original 46 users of the pilot project, and rode at no cost. In 1977 the service was contracted to All-Way Transportation Corporation of Toronto before being taken over by the TTC in 1985.
Operations
Service provision
Service is provided by accessible buses and contracted accessible taxi mini-vans. Wheel-Trans is a door-to-door service. Rides can be reserved up to one week in advance by calling the reservation line, by using the automated Ride-Line touch-tone phone service or by using the recently launched Wheel-Trans Online Trip Booking website.
Fleet
Wheel-Trans buses operates as part of the main TTC fleet but do not include wheelchair assessable buses from the regular fleet.
Contracts
Most of Wheel-Trans operations are provided by the TTC, but some of the services are contracted out to private operators.
Able Atlantic Taxi
Bee Line Taxi
Beck Taxi
Royal Taxi
Scarboro City Cab
Toronto Para Transit
Wheelchair Taxi
Assessibility outside of Wheel-Trans
As for 2017, all 1,869 buses are low floor to allow for easy accessible by mobility devices. While all subway trains are accessible, only 35 of the 69 stations have elevators. The SRT cars are not accessible. On the Toronto streetcar network, the
Flexity Outlook
The Bombardier Flexity Outlook is a series of low-floored, articulated light-rail trams manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. Part of the larger Bombardier Flexity product line (many of which are not low-floor), Flexity Outlook vehicles are ...
streetcars are fully accessible. However, not all stops are easily accessible for customers in wheelchairs, particularly in winter.
See also
*
Mississauga Transit Accessible Services - regular routes with accessible buses
*
Transhelp
Region of Peel Accessible Transportation Services is a family of paratransit services in Ontario, Canada, operated by the Regional Municipality of Peel.
Services Caledon Community Services Transportation
Caledon Community Services Transportation ...
- Peel Region from a variety of providers including
Caledon Community Services Transportation
Region of Peel Accessible Transportation Services is a family of paratransit services in Ontario, Canada, operated by the Regional Municipality of Peel.
Services Caledon Community Services Transportation
Caledon Community Services Transportation ...
*
York Region Transit Mobility Plus
York Region Transit Mobility Plus is a program that offers transit services, known as ''Mobility Plus'', to the disabled using specially equipped buses. Mobility Plus is York Region's equivalent of the Toronto Transit Commission's Wheel-Trans serv ...
References
External links
TTC Wheel-Trans
{{TTC
Toronto Transit Commission
Paratransit services in Canada