Residents who rely on wheelchair accessible taxis say they’re seeing a dramatic improvement in service thanks to a city pilot project that’s drastically cutting wait times. Sheila Brown has been using a wheelchair since 1987 and says getting a reliable ride has always been a challenge, until recently. “We used to wait an hour or two. Now it’s under half an hour and usually under 15 minutes,” Brown said. Users pay for their ride as they would a normal taxi service, while a standard ride through Para Transpo costs $4. However, Brown says traveling via accessible taxi is a completely different experience from what she’s used to with Para Transpo. “The accessible taxi is far superior for service. Para Transpo tries to put as many people on the bus as possible, and then they all have to sit there while they ship everybody around,” she said. The new model uses a centralized dispatch system that pushes calls to multiple fleets across the city, making it easier to match a driver with a rider quickly, and users say they’re noticing the difference. “As soon as somebody is close, we make them accept it. They’re not allowed to reject it. They’re not allowed to decline,” said Tracy Moroziuk, Coventry Connections fleet manager. A city-approved pilot project is backing the service with financial incentives, including a $15 payment to drivers for each accessible trip. Calls are shared across companies to maximize availability. “When we get an accessible call, it doesn’t stay just on one fleet. We add it to Blue Line, Capital and Westway. So, it opens it up to all the vehicles and we just keep going until we get the driver,” Moroziuk said. Riders like Ian Glober Brown say the flexibility provided by the new program has made a big difference in the level of service they receive. “They help me with the bags. I’ve usually go for 4 or 5 bags on my walker. My wife purse, my bag, and, another bag for something else. But in general, they’re all happy,” Brown said. For Sheila, it is not just about speed, but also the care the drivers provide. “The drivers have been just wonderful. And they’ll back in and I can come out the garage door or the person door, depending, and get out and just drive in the back of the van. I love it,” she said. Coventry Connections says there are roughly 80 accessible taxis across Ottawa, many available 24 hours a day.
