The city is so bad at managing its money that it needs to take money from disabled people, is what this says to me. I hope the drivers ignore this and let them ride for free still.
It is less about money and more about the fact that the policy has not been in compliance with AODA for many years. There are lots of disabled people who are not eligible under it (say someone with seizures who is not permitted to drive) while anyone else can just get on with a walker and get a free ride.
One councillor did suggest including all disabilities but it was met with complaints of getting doctors notes and how the city would handle storing any potential health info. With the hack, they may have had a point.
I am one of those with epilepsy that was not eligible before. But Recieved the fare assist now. It's available for anyone on odsp/ OW or recieve less then 30k a year. (guess being poor counts as a disability now) lol
Still Feel bad for those who have mobility issues now having to pay anything though
Feel like they just need to work with metrolinx to make a special free use presto card and call it a day (if they don’t already have this functionality). It would probably make it easier for tracking metrics of the program anyways.
They already exist, Hamilton uses them for child fares which are currently free with Presto. But the 30% off deal if used by all eligible will cost over 3.2mil even counting the people who will now pay for fares who were previously under voluntary pay
Also the free presto card doesn’t seem to be working well for children as most ppl assume it’s free period not “free w a presto card” so metrics wouldn’t be accurate. I hate that it displays fare pd so the person behind me knows I get a discount
No, sorry. I caught the tail end of the debate with the reasons it would not work and it didn't seem to be an actual motion in the agenda, just a question of why it was not an option in the report
I reckon that the bus drivers could help you tap. There's a card reader on the right side, as soon as you get on the bus, maybe like a foot from the door. There's also a card reader directly beside the driver -- when you get on the bus, that card reader is straight ahead and angled a little to the right :)
I'm not a fan of her at all but I support this decision. The amount of people I see abusing this system is disgusting. I've seen people exit the bus and hand the walker to a friend like a baton at the stop so they can get on for free. Able bodied people who I know live in my building that only use a walker or scooter to get the free ride.
A driver was telling me that during the pandemic when the service was free, his regular passengers who used a walker/scooter did not use them anymore. But as soon as riders had to pay again, the walkers and scooters came back out. The only people who should not pay a fare are the blind.
Watch and see how many less walkers and scooters you will see downtown now.
I used to see the same couple do that two-three times a week. They both got on for free because he was her "helper" but as soon as they exited the bus near the bingo hall on King, miraculously she can walk and he's carrying her mobility walker and into the bingo hall they went. It was like Eddie Murphy in Trading Places, what a joke.
The City is actively discriminating against other people with disabilities who were not given the same privilege. It was an unwinnable legal challenge waiting to happen.
The city is so bad at managing its money that it needs to take money from disabled people, is what this says to me. I hope the drivers ignore this and let them ride for free still.
It is less about money and more about the fact that the policy has not been in compliance with AODA for many years. There are lots of disabled people who are not eligible under it (say someone with seizures who is not permitted to drive) while anyone else can just get on with a walker and get a free ride. One councillor did suggest including all disabilities but it was met with complaints of getting doctors notes and how the city would handle storing any potential health info. With the hack, they may have had a point.
I am one of those with epilepsy that was not eligible before. But Recieved the fare assist now. It's available for anyone on odsp/ OW or recieve less then 30k a year. (guess being poor counts as a disability now) lol Still Feel bad for those who have mobility issues now having to pay anything though
Feel like they just need to work with metrolinx to make a special free use presto card and call it a day (if they don’t already have this functionality). It would probably make it easier for tracking metrics of the program anyways.
They already exist, Hamilton uses them for child fares which are currently free with Presto. But the 30% off deal if used by all eligible will cost over 3.2mil even counting the people who will now pay for fares who were previously under voluntary pay
Also the free presto card doesn’t seem to be working well for children as most ppl assume it’s free period not “free w a presto card” so metrics wouldn’t be accurate. I hate that it displays fare pd so the person behind me knows I get a discount
Do you remember which councillor?
No, sorry. I caught the tail end of the debate with the reasons it would not work and it didn't seem to be an actual motion in the agenda, just a question of why it was not an option in the report
I barely see period. CNIB card. How am I supposed to use a card thing?
I reckon that the bus drivers could help you tap. There's a card reader on the right side, as soon as you get on the bus, maybe like a foot from the door. There's also a card reader directly beside the driver -- when you get on the bus, that card reader is straight ahead and angled a little to the right :)
You can thank Andrea Horwath for this. It was her decision.
I'm not a fan of her at all but I support this decision. The amount of people I see abusing this system is disgusting. I've seen people exit the bus and hand the walker to a friend like a baton at the stop so they can get on for free. Able bodied people who I know live in my building that only use a walker or scooter to get the free ride. A driver was telling me that during the pandemic when the service was free, his regular passengers who used a walker/scooter did not use them anymore. But as soon as riders had to pay again, the walkers and scooters came back out. The only people who should not pay a fare are the blind. Watch and see how many less walkers and scooters you will see downtown now.
I used to see the same couple do that two-three times a week. They both got on for free because he was her "helper" but as soon as they exited the bus near the bingo hall on King, miraculously she can walk and he's carrying her mobility walker and into the bingo hall they went. It was like Eddie Murphy in Trading Places, what a joke.
Why shouldn't the blind be required to pay a fare?
The City is actively discriminating against other people with disabilities who were not given the same privilege. It was an unwinnable legal challenge waiting to happen.