It’s time to stop the poor service, says the HandyDART Riders’ Alliance.
The advocacy group representing people with disabilities and mobility issues is demanding TransLink assume responsibility of the transportation service, making their feelings known at a Mayors’ Council meeting this week.
“The TransLink Mayors’ Council was once loud and clear in promising better HandyDART service, and denouncing unaccountable governance at TransLink,” said HandyDART Riders’ Alliance co-chair Beth McKellar in a press release. “Now that they claim to be fully involved in TransLink decision making, they need to take responsibility for those decisions.”
TransLink is considering once again contracting out HandyDART.
A report to the Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation calls for the transportation authority to bring the service in house as a public service rather than contracting it out to a large corporation.
The HandyDART Riders’ Alliance says the rights of the disabled are being violated, saying it sees the poor quality of service associated with contracting out as a human rights violation. The advocacy group filed a human rights complaint with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.
A province-wide survey of riders conducted earlier this year by B.C.’s seniors’ advocate found significant dissatisfaction with the service.
