City pilot launches accessible vehicles for hire app

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This article was published 11/05/2022 (1254 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeggers who rely on wheelchairs can now try a new way to book vehicles for hire, which advocates hope will shrink wait times for rides.

The city launched Winnipeg Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (or Winnipeg WAV) on Wednesday. The on-demand, accessible booking service for taxis, limousines and ride-hailing vehicles will offer a central accessible trip booking service, which multiple companies are invited to participate in. Users can set pickup and drop-off locations to connect with the nearest vehicle.

An advocate for people with disabilities said the new service should help people get rides much more quickly, an improvement he says is greatly needed.

“I know co-workers and friends who have had to often wait one or two hours to get (an accessible) van… It’s those really long wait times that are one of the biggest problems from a community sticking point,” said Patrick Stewart, a consultant for the Independent Living Resource Centre.

The new app will allow multiple companies to list accessible vehicles through the same service, which should make them quicker and easier to book, Stewart said.

The city is testing the new dispatch service through a two-year, $1.8-million pilot project, which it hopes will also increase the number of accessible vehicles available.

The pilot includes financial incentives to drivers of accessible vehicles, who can earn up to $2,250 per year for participating and owners of the vehicles, who can earn up to $2,500 per year. Drivers who own their vehicles are eligible for both.

The amount paid out depends on the number of trips provided through the app, trip acceptance ratings, driver ratings, and city inspections, among other factors.

The Independent Living Resource Centre advocated for the service, which Stewart believes will help the city better track and inspect accessible vehicles. The participation bonuses are warranted since it can cost more to operate and fuel an accessible van than a standard cab, he said.

“Often people with disabilities have limited choices when it comes to transportation, so we definitely want (this project) to work,” said Stewart.

Duffy’s Taxi and Unicity Taxi will run the central dispatch.

“We are proud to be part of this initiative to improve accessible taxi service in our city,” Unicity Taxi resident Gurmail Mangat said in a news release.

Winnipeg WAV is available at the Apple App Store (iOS), the Google Play Store (Android), at winnipeg.ca/wav and at 204-986-4WAV (204-986-4928).

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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