Wheel-Trans customers say registration process asking them to 'prove' their disability again

Steve Kean has been using the TTC since the early 1990's. He says while the system is significantly more accessible than it was back then, there are still cracks.

And, he says, the process to re-register for the service's Wheel-Trans service is one of them.

"It's putting the onus on us to prove that we're disabled, I don't think that's right," Kean said.

Kean, who uses a manual wheelchair, rides the conventional transit system but also uses Wheel-Trans service when needed, which provides door-to-door rides for the cost of one subway trip.

He's among thousands of customers who signed up for Wheel-Trans prior to 2017 and have received recent notifications to re-register for the service. That process involves answering questions about their needs, and having a doctor fill out a portion of the forms.

Kean, along with advocates, say the process is long, tedious, and anxiety-inducing. The TTC says the changes are based on Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) guidelines and help ensure equity, as customers who signed up after Jan. 1, 2017 went through the same process. But the fear with some is that they will no longer be eligible for the service they need.

After the customer completes the process, they are are granted conditional, unconditional or temporary service, as per the guidelines.

Unconditional service could mean that the customer has to use the conventional transit system for part of their journey or during certain times of the day.

"People who use wheelchairs full time should get automatic full acceptance," Kean said.

Cameron Penman, head of Wheel-Trans at the TTC, says this process ensures all of its customers have been equally assessed, and that this is a process the service has been going through for the last six years.

"We are mandated to put these eligibility categories forward by the AODA and we are doing our best to apply that legislation," Penman said, adding that the TTC has sent out communications about why it is asking customers to fill out these forms, along with options for support throughout the process.

"We want to get the eligibility right so it matches your needs and abilities," he said.

Penman says more than 8,000 Wheel-Trans customers have re-registered, and around 11,000 customers are still going through the process. The questions are designed to get a "fulsome picture of what their needs are," he said.

"I can assure you 99 per cent of the time we will get your eligibility right based on those questions ... the vast majority will still have access to door-to-door trips most of the time."