Media Release: TransLink and HandyDART Riders’ Alliance Announce Settlement Agreement

[This is the joint media release agreed to by TransLink and the HandyDART Riders’ Alliance. More info coming soon.]

March 22, 2019

NEW WESTMINSTER – TransLink and the HandyDART Riders’ Alliance today announced a joint settlement in a Human Rights Tribunal case regarding HandyDART services.

As part of the Settlement Agreement, TransLink will:

  • Produce an annual stand-alone public report on HandyDART service performance;
  • Provide funding to the Social Planning and Research Council to conduct research on the experience of HandyDART customers; and,
  • Seek Board approval to create a HandyDART Users Group.

The Human Rights Tribunal case was originally filed in 2017 and was related to the provision of public transit to people with mental and physical disabilities.

HandyDART provides an average of 5,000 rides per day. TransLink is committed to improving the customer experience for HandyDART users as we understand how critical these services are and we do our best every day working with our third-party provider, First Transit, to help our customers get to where they need to go safely and conveniently. As a result of the Custom Transit Service Performance Review, TransLink has already taken steps to improve services for HandyDART users. TransLink is also in the midst of a 15 per cent increase in HandyDART service hours.

The HandyDART Riders’ Alliance applauds these initial steps in the Settlement Agreement, which work towards improving public transit for individuals with mental and physical disabilities, and looks forward to continued participation in creating a transit system that is accessible to everyone. 

Media contacts: 

Beth McKellar – HandyDART Riders’ Alliance

P: (604) 444-9289 E: HandyDARTriders [at] gmail.com

TransLink Media Relations

C: (778) 375-7788 E: media [at] translink.ca

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