Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By Curtis Galbraith

DTS

Large delegation brings disabled transportation concerns to city council

Jun 4, 2019 | 8:54 PM

City Council had a long discussion with close to 30 users of disabled transportation, along with their care-givers, family members, and bus drivers, at its meeting Tuesday.

Council passed several motions, including one that would see require DTS to maintain service levels it had before recent reductions and that would see it get assurances its funding in the 2019 city budget would stay in place through the end of June.

GPRC student Abigayle Billard uses a wheelchair and has been a DTS client for two years .

She is hoping this helps the current situation.

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“Because, to me, it’s imperative that something is done. No matter which way you look at it, if it stays this way, this is just inhumane, like, it’s not right.”

She is hoping for a funding increase and is willing to organize a fund-raiser herself.

“I’m willing to do whatever it is that I can do to ensure that this organization gets more money put towards it. Not only myself, but so many other people in this city need this service. It’s just so important.”

Billard says it is not just people in wheelchairs that use DTS, but also people who use canes or walkers and those who are blind or deaf.

Several people told council that for several months now, they have had to call two days ahead to book a ride on the handi-bus.

One DTS driver says the number of users of the handi-bus has gone up by 60 this year.

Billard says she has also noticed a lot more people using the service.

“They’ve been very, very busy. Bus drivers have been expected to go to opposite ends of the city in a matter of minutes. Even the way that it’s been booked, they’re so booked-up that it’s not even realistic for the drivers to complete their work for the day.”

That same driver told council that Red Deer has 30 handi-buses, but Grande Prairie has nine.

Council also passed motions affirming its support for accessible transportation and to ask administration to report back on what to do if DTS cuts back again or shuts down. All three motions passed unanimously.

City staff and people from the Disabled Transportation Society will meet in a closed-door session Thursday.