City’s proposed Transit Plus cancellation changes raise concerns among riders

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/06/2023 (855 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

People who use Transit Plus fear possible changes to its system will unfairly punish the people with disabilities who rely on the service.

Transit Plus, which provides door-to-door transport for people with disabilities that prevent them from using the fixed-route transit service, is proposing changes to the way people are able to cancel rides and how late cancellations and no-shows are penalized.

The current system charges riders the equivalent of a growing number of fares if they don’t show up more than once, up to charging $15 when a person cancels less than 30 minutes before their scheduled pick-up window or doesn’t show up within five minutes of the driver’s arrival at the pick-up point five or more times.

If a person owes more than $30, they aren’t able to use the service until the fee is paid.

The new system would run on points: every person would begin each month with seven points. One point would be docked if a cancellation occurs less than four hours in advance, and two points would be lost for a no-show.

Losing all seven points in a month would result in a strike on a passenger’s account, and after a second strike, riders would receive a one-week suspension from using the service. A third strike translates to a two-week suspension, and a fourth means a loss of service for a month. The points would refresh monthly.

While the city has proposed the plan as a way to help Transit Plus best use its limited number of drivers, some who rely on the service say the measures are punitive.

Peter Tonge, a disability advocate who uses a wheelchair, said the system as it currently operates regularly results in booked rides not showing up at the right time, and he worries people will be unfairly punished for the failings of an understaffed system.

“That has certainly happened to all of us, where the ride doesn’t show up at all, or it’s so late it’s no longer practical to take it. They’re saying that they will make exceptions for those situations, but it’s all in their control, right? They have all the control on how they’re going to assess points,” he said.

“There’s nothing in the policy that talks about how these points are tracked or if there’s an appeal procedure, or whatever. It’s all put in the control of the transit company, and taking away control from their users.”

He called the decision to change the cancellation period from 30 minutes now to four hours “just not practical,” given the realities of everyday life.

“For many people, this is their only means of transportation, their only means of getting out of the house,” he said.

“So if you started getting suspended for a week, or two weeks, or three weeks, they’re basically creating shut-ins.”

Transit Plus costs riders the same as regular Winnipeg Transit bus fare.

Mindy Tucker has been using Transit Plus for 15 years, and pays for a monthly pass to use one of their vehicles on an almost-daily basis. In that time, she said, there have been times when a scheduled medical appointment has been cancelled at the last minute, or a loved one has offered her a ride that she had already reserved with Transit Plus.

The previous system allowed her to cancel far enough in advance that she could free up a driver — and wouldn’t face penalties — but now she’s not so sure.

“They’ve gone through changes, but this makes it very, very difficult and almost unusable,” said Tucker, who uses a wheelchair.

“But when you look at it, it really seems like it was created for persons with disabilities by persons who are not at all involved in the community or disabled themselves.”

She calls it an extra worry for people who are likely not purposely abandoning trip appointments.

“To be suspended from anything that you pay for because you have a chronic disability that is unchanging — it’s going to be there for life — on top of everything else to worry about, how you’re going to get home at night, or how you’re going to get to work in the morning.”

Teresa Platt, Winnipeg Transit’s manager of client services, said the change puts Winnipeg in line with other transit agencies across the country that have two- to four-hour time frames for cancellations, and the changes are being proposed because the current financial penalties have not resulted in fewer late cancellations and no-shows.

“The proposed policy really is looking at finding the efficiencies for the service, so if someone cancels with only 30 minutes of the notice notification, that really doesn’t provide the service (a way) to reuse that trip,” she said.

The policy would not be introduced without significant upgrades to the booking system, Platt said.

Her hope is that, under the new program, people will be able to make those last-minute cancellations without financial penalty when necessary, but repeat offenders will be encouraged to cancel early.

“On the most part, for individuals who cancel because life happens from time to time, this policy likely would not impact them,” she said.

Transit is seeking feedback through an online survey open until July 14 and two virtual events open to the public scheduled for June 28. Implementation of the new policy is subject to city council approval.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca