Access - Winter 2025

View a PDF version of the newsletter.

Message from the Head of Wheel-Trans

As we approach the end of 2025, it’s a great time to reflect on what we’ve accomplished together this year. Wheel-Trans is on pace to carry over four million passengers, bringing us back to pre-pandemic ridership levels. Despite increasing congestion across the city, we continue to deliver reliable service, with on-time performance remaining well above our target of 90%. We’ve also achieved another year of improved Reservations wait times, averaging about two minutes, and significantly reduced wait times for both the Priority Line and Customer Service phone line.

In October, the TTC hosted another successful Annual Public Forum on Accessible Transit in partnership with ACAT. Thank you to everyone who attended in person or virtually and shared your feedback—it plays a vital role in shaping service improvements for the year ahead.

Our Eligibility Re-Registration Program continues to make great progress. In 2025, we re-registered approximately 1,500 additional customers, leaving only about 1,000 active customers who are yet to re-register.

Looking ahead to 2026, we’re excited to improve the automated trip booking and management system and to complete the replacement and upgrade of our Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, which will provide a single number for all Wheel-Trans phone lines. We will also upgrade the computer systems onboard our buses and our reservations, scheduling, and dispatch software to enhance service reliability. In addition, we will pilot battery electric buses and smaller electric vehicles (sedans) as part of our fleet, aligning with the TTC’s Zero Emissions Fleet Strategy.

On behalf of Wheel-Trans, I wish you a joyous holiday season and all the best for 2026! 

Cameron Penman
Head, Wheel-Trans

End of TTC tickets, tokens and day passes

As part of TTC’s ongoing fare modernization, December 31, 2025, will be the last day Wheel-Trans customers can pay their fare with a TTC token, youth/senior ticket, or day pass. After this date, TTC tokens, tickets, and day passes will no longer be accepted on Wheel-Trans vehicles.

Customers are encouraged to use their remaining tokens, tickets and day passes by December 31, as refunds or exchanges will not be provided.

Customers can still pay their fare with cash, a physical or digital PRESTO card, a PRESTO ticket, or a debit or credit card, including those in their Apple or Google Wallet. Please visit ttc.ca for more information.

Wheel-Trans aims to reduce wait times at regional transfer locations

Wheel-Trans, in collaboration with Peel, York and Durham region transit organizations, has been working to reduce customer wait times to 15 minutes or less. To date, Wheel-Trans has reduced the average wait time to 16 minutes, which is a significant improvement from the 30-minute average wait time in 2024.

In order to achieve this, Wheel-Trans dispatchers will automatically modify your scheduled arrival or departure times on your behalf. If, for any reason, you would prefer that Wheel-Trans does not change your trip times, even when the wait times exceed 15 minutes, please contact Wheel-Trans Customer Service by email at WTCS@ttc.ca or call 416-393-4111.

Have you used the Wheel-Trans Self-booking Website and mobile app?

The Wheel-Trans Self-booking Website (SBW) and Wheel-Trans mobile app offer the fastest ways to book or cancel your Wheel-Trans trips, any day, any time, at your fingertips. There is absolutely no wait time, and these online methods offer a variety of features such as locating your vehicle as you wait, saving your favourite drop-off/pick-up locations and receiving important service announcements from Wheel-Trans.

To learn how to use the Self-booking Website or the mobile app, please call Wheel-Trans Customer Service at 416-393-4111.

Alternatively, you can watch the Wheel-Trans Self-booking Website Video Tutorial on TTC’s YouTube channel for step-by-step video instructions on how to use the website to instantly book or cancel your rides.

Visit the Wheel-Trans Mobile App page on ttc.ca for step-by-step video instructions on how to use the mobile app to instantly book or cancel your rides.

Congratulations to the new ACAT members and pool members!

Wheel-Trans would like to congratulate the new ACAT members and pool members selected for the 2026 ACAT term! The new members will join the committee in January 2026 and contribute to the committee’s efforts to provide advice and guidance to continue making the TTC accessible to all customers. They will replace the outgoing ACAT members and pool members who have completed their three-year and one-year terms, respectively, with ACAT. Wheel-Trans thanks the outgoing volunteers — Mei Hung, Frank Lockhart, Nathaniel Tok, Maria Marin, Lavarnan Mehavarnan, Olivia Darwin, and 2025 Chair Betty Rivington-Law — for their time and dedication to ACAT.

Latest accessible stations as part of the TTC’s Easier Access Program

In 2025, two TTC subway stations, High Park and Rosedale, became accessible by adding features such as elevators, accessible doors, tactile wayfinding, wide fare gates, and signage. With these additions, 59 of 70 TTC subway stations are now accessible.

Looking forward:

• The TTC anticipates that elevators will go into service at the following stations by the end of 2025: Christie, Summerhill, and Warden Stations.
• All but one of the other remaining stations are planned to become accessible in 2026 (Greenwood, Lawrence, College, Museum, Spadina, King and Islington Stations).
• Construction at the final station, Old Mill, commenced earlier this year and is expected to be completed in 2028.

For the latest information on planned maintenance of elevators and escalators, please visit ttc.ca/service-advisories/accessibility.

Operations update

Safety first! As the holiday and winter season approaches, please make sure that your personal entrances are clear of ice and snow. If you require assistance and qualify for the Senior Assistance Home Maintenance Program, please contact the City  of Toronto at 311@toronto.ca. You can also contact 311 if your street has not been cleared in a timely fashion.

Wheel-Trans has a Severe Weather Plan in order to keep everyone safe. Customers will be advised when a severe weather advisory has been declared and are encouraged to cancel nonessential trips without a late-cancellation penalty. Same-day trip bookings are not available during a severe weather advisory. As we enter 2026, with ridership back to pre-COVID levels, Wheel-Trans is ensuring that service availability is its top priority. Wheel-Trans is also focusing on schedule adjustments to maintain the On-Time Performance, especially during the winter months. It is our commitment to provide trips as close as possible to the requested trip times through scheduling improvements.

Holiday Service: Important changes to your regular service

Regularly Scheduled Trips

Many facilities and programs close over the holiday season, so Wheel-Trans will be cancelling all regularly scheduled trips (trips that automatically recur every week) from December 21, 2025, to January 3, 2026, on your behalf. Regular trips for dialysis will not be cancelled.

You can still make travel arrangements during this period, but you’ll need to book all the trips you require. If you know in advance that you will need your regularly scheduled trips during the abovementioned period, please let us know beginning December 7, 2025, or up to seven days prior to the date you are travelling, by visiting the Wheel-Trans Self-booking Website or by calling Wheel-Trans Reservations at 416-393-4222.

Service to Regional Transfer Points

Please note that service to Regional Transfer Points will continue 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, as they are located at TTC Stations and Access Hubs (Please check with your connecting regional agency for their hours of service). 

Central:

Yonge-Steeles Access Hub: 6464 Yonge St. (SW Corner) for Transfers to YRT/Mobility on Demand.

FINCHGO Transfer Point: 5697 Yonge St. at Platform #3 for Transfers to YRT/Mobility on Demand.

Pioneer Village Transfer Point: 2800 Steeles Ave. West at YRT Platform #3 for Transfers to YRT/ Mobility on Demand.

West:

Humber Access Hub Transfer Point: 205 Humber College Blvd. at Platform #4 for Transfers to Peel Trans-Help.

Kipling Regional Transfer Point: 950 Kipling Ave. at the Kipling subway station accessible entrance on St Albans Rd. for Transfers to Peel Trans-Help.

East:

Freshmeadow & Don Mills Hub Transfer Point: 4001 Don Mills Rd. (NE Corner) for Transfers to YRT/Mobility on Demand.

Meadowvale Acces Hub Transfer Point: 1365 Meadowvale Rd. (in the Bus Loop) for Transfers to Durham Transit.

McCowan & Steeles Transfer Point: 7011 McCowan Rd. (at Shelter) for Transfers to YRT/Mobility on Demand.

Service to Major Malls

In order to deal with congested parking lots at shopping malls, beginning Sunday, December 7, 2025, Wheel-Trans will provide service to the following malls only to the entrance listed below:

• Yorkdale Shopping Centre: Shoppers Drug Mart Mall Entrance.
• Scarborough Town Centre: Entrance #7 near TD Canada Trust Bank and Entrance #2 near Moxie’s Restaurant.
• Fairview Mall: Entrance #6 near Shoppers Drug Mart, Entrance #4 near Lucullus Bakery.
• Cloverdale Mall: Entrance #3 near LCBO and Entrance #7 near Home Hardware.
• Sherway Gardens: Entrance #7 near Shoppers Drug Mart and Entrance #4 near Starbucks.

Service to all other malls will remain unchanged. Please remember you are responsible for carrying your parcels, bags and boxes.

Be safe and have a happy holiday season!

TTC’s Travel Training Program

For customers

Since 2017, Wheel-Trans has been offering a free Travel Training program for all Wheel-Trans customers who want to learn how to travel safely and independently on the TTC’s accessible conventional transit (bus, streetcar and subway). The Travel Training specialist plans a personalized route, considering the accommodations the customer may need, and accompanies them on their journey.

Through the Travel Training sessions, customers learn how to:

• identify accessible routes
• locate and use accessibility features at TTC stations and on vehicles
• safely travel on vehicles with or without mobility devices
• use the PRESTO fare payment system
• interpret TTC maps and signage

Wheel-Trans customers can participate in the Travel Training program by emailing traveltraining@ttc.ca or calling 416-472-2393. For more information, visit the Travel Training page on ttc.ca.

Note: Travel Training does not determine Wheel-Trans eligibility.

For organizations

The Train the Trainer initiative is part of the TTC Travel Training program. The TTC invites organizations that work with people with disabilities to partner with us and enable our customers to lead independent and confident lives. This free initiative offers the opportunity for an organization’s staff members to be trained by a TTC Travel Training specialist.

If this sounds like an opportunity an organization you know would be interested in, please spread the word. Representatives can get in touch with us by email at traveltraining@ttc.ca or by phone at 416-472-2393.

Eligibility re-registration for Wheel-Trans service

Customers who were registered with Wheel-Trans prior to January 1, 2017, are required to submit a new Wheel-Trans application for re-registration. You can do this either by visiting the Customer Portal, or by contacting Wheel-Trans Customer Service by phone at 416-393-4111 or via email at WTCS@ttc.ca.

How do I know if this applies to me?

If you are unsure of whether you have to re-register for Wheel-Trans, you can contact a reservationist before booking your ride by phone at 416-393-4222 or via email at WTCS@ttc.ca.

If a customer has not re-registered, the following message will appear when they are scheduling their trips on the Wheel-Trans Self-booking Website. 

Message from the ACAT Chair

ACAT has been very active this fall season. A collaboration on transit accessibility between the TTC and Centennial College was initiated recently. ACAT has been invited to help shape the accessibility challenge and address the real accessibility barriers faced by riders. Our members will mentor participants from Centennial College and serve as judges for the competition. ACAT awaits further news of its involvement in this exciting initiative.

We joined the celebrations for Wheel-Trans’ 50th anniversary in September. It is an important milestone for Wheel-Trans, and ACAT is happy to be a part of this journey.

We saw a great response to the ACAT recruitment efforts, and there was overwhelming public interest in serving on the committee in 2026. Very strong candidates were interviewed and selected to add new voices to the committee in the coming year.

The TTC Annual Public Forum on Accessible Transit was held in October and was once again very well attended. Our passionate customers continued to voice ideas for improving accessibility.

Moving on to the major areas of focus this year, clear and enhanced communication was a common theme across all subcommittees. Efforts to improve the clarity of public address systems were discussed. Other areas of discussion included pre-boarding announcements, landmark and stop changes, and a new west end appeal location. Signage is being prepared for the anticipated opening of Line 5 and Line 6 and will be updated at the busy Scarborough Town Centre. Further, work on the Wayfinding Strategy is ongoing. In addition, enhanced customer service was requested throughout the system, especially for those with low vision, as well as for anyone using a mobility device. Finally, the committee reviewed the policy for the First on and Last off communications.

Some of our members are spending many hours on bus driver recertification, reminding drivers to pre-board any persons with mobility devices, and to assist with the securement of these devices to ensure the safety of all persons on the buses.

Further, ACAT members visited the Damera plant earlier this year and evaluated a prototype for the new battery-electric bus. We are happy to report that the new buses have entry/exit doors on both sides and rear doors with ample room to pivot and maneuver a scooter and a rollator walker.

More stations have become accessible this year, including High Park and Rosedale Stations. The Easier Access program is making great progress in enabling accessibility across the city.

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season and the best of health in the coming year!

Betty Rivington-Law
ACAT Chair (2025)