B.C. Transit is rolling out an easier pay system but not for handyDART passengers

A frequent passenger with B.C. Transit's accessible, door-to-door service says people with disabilities are being neglected because they won't be getting an electronic payment optionfor the buses.

Earlier this year B.C. Transit, which operates public transit services in over 60 communities outside of Metro Vancouver, introduced the Umopay system, which allows passengers to pay with a reloadable card or app.

But handyDART, the service for people with disabilities who cannot use traditional buses, is not scheduled to get Umo.

Craig McKinnon, who uses handyDART in Greater Victoria, says he's disappointed he and other users can't access something that would make their lives easierand addsthat it's the latest of several frustrations he's had with the bus service.

"Everything in our lives is more difficult or challenging and takes more time," said McKinnon, who uses a walker after he had a stroke in his 20s.

He said right up until the ride arrives, the entire handyDART systemwhich offers door-to-door service at the same rate as conventional bus rides is cumbersome.

WATCH | Craig McKinnon describes some of the gaps he sees in transit for people with disabilities:

New pay system shows inequity in B.C. public transit for people with disabilities, says handyDART user

9 months ago

Duration 0:59

B.C. Transit has been rolling out its new electronic pay system Umo across Vancouver Island. Craig McKinnon says the fact that Umo is not available on handyDART a shared-ride service for passengers with disabilities is just the latest sign that public transit for people with disabilities is not on par with the mainstream bus system.

Before someone can use handyDART, they must register in person. Once they're registered, they can book rides up to two weeks in advance, either by phone or online but only to and from locations they've already registered.

A new destination cannot be submitted through the website.

McKinnon says access to Umo would remove alayer of complication as handyDART users wouldn't have to go out to buy transit tickets or passes, and could instead load money onto the app or card from home.

He says the handyDART website is also difficult to navigateand often crashes things he thinks wouldn't be accepted if they affected the broader ridership.

"It's really upsetting to feel that different," said McKinnon, referring to the gap he feels between the way able-bodied people and people with disabilities are treated.

'Second-class citizens'

Jemana Elsharkawi doesn't even use the handyDART website when she makes arrangements for her brother because she finds it complicated to use. Instead, she books over the phone something McKinnon says can take up to 40 minutes.

Elsharkawi is the primary caregiver for her brother,Adam Elsharkawi, who is in his early 30s and has an intellectual disability,

Adam uses a combination of handyDART and public transit to get to and from his day program in Nanaimo, because neither service can meet his needs alone.

ElsharkawisaidhandyDART drivers are helpful and kind, but the system contains barriers.

Communication is one of them, she says, describing how her brother is sometimes stuck outside not knowing that his ride is delayedor isn't coming.

"So Adam was outside in the rain and cold for half an hour ... Adam doesn't think to say, 'Hey, Jemana, my bus is late.'" she said.

A simple call, text, or email to her would allow her to alert her brother and tell him to go back inside, Elsharkawi said.

She said it's "disheartening" that people with disabilities aren't prioritized when it comes to services like transit, but are instead "treated as second-class citizens."

While Elsharkawi said Umo would be a plus for her brother, she points out that's not the case for everyone as some people with intellectual disabilities, for example, do not have credit cards or cellphones.

She would like all forms of payment to be available to handyDART users, as well as an ability to receive transit passes by mail.

HandyDARTsystem under review:B.C. Transit

Umo is currently available in five communities on Vancouver Island, and will soon expand to 24 regions on the B.C. mainland.

B.C. Transit has said the launch of Umo came from funding to replace older fareboxes on 900 of its conventional buses across the province.

"Our organization is evaluating potential technology improvements to improve accessibility and convenience for our custom riders and meet their diverse needs," B.C. Transit said in a statement sent to CBC News.

It said it is currently reviewing the handyDART system in Greater Victoriaand it "understands the challenges some handyDART customers are experiencing with our current online booking process in the Victoria Regional Transit System, and their desire for improved payment methods."

B.C. Transit said it is reviewing its accessibility planand is invitingcustomer feedback until the end of December.