Accessible taxi funding wins applause from coalition

The Coalition for Persons with Disabilities is pleased that the Newfoundland and Labrador government is offering grants for accessible taxis.

The funding was announced on Friday, and is meant to help taxi drivers and companies buy accessible cabs, or retrofit current vehicles to make them accessible to people who had physical disabilities.

The government is looking for proposals from individuals or businesses who are are interested in taking part in the program, called the Accessible Taxi Pilot Project.

Kelly White, executive director with CODNL, says the project is something her group has been working on for many years.

"We are delighted," she said.

"It's essential for everyone in the province to travel within their own communities."

She said everyone in the province should have the right to get to where they need to go.

"Throughout the province, whether it's for home, work, to go to a movie, church it doesn't matter," she said.

"Persons with disabilities should be able to have a choice in how they get there."

The freedom to be mobile

White said people with mobility issues in St. John's and Mount Pearl currently have to rely on the GoBus service. However, people must give 24 hours notice before they can use it.

She said that's not realistic for people who may decide they need to go somewhere on short notice. With the Accessible Taxi Project, she said people with disabilities will be able to move around more freely.

"If you decide this evening that you want to go to your friend's house for supper, you can't go because that bus hasn't been booked already," she said.

"But a person now will have a choice, if there's an accessible taxi, to call a taxi and go wherever they need to go, whenever they decide they want to go there."

White says the City of St. John's currently has 10 accessible taxi licences available, but none are in use.

She also said she hopes to see accessible taxis not only in the metro region, but also in places like western Newfoundland and Labrador as well.

The deadline for people to submit proposals for theprogram is Feb. 27.