Spring - Summer 2013

2013 TTC Public Forum on Accessible Transit

Queen Elizabeth Exhibition Hall, Exhibition Place
180 Princes’ Boulevard
Thursday, May 9, 2013
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - One-on-One Discussions with TTC Staff
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - Open Forum
Join the conversation on Twitter: #TTCAccess

TTC Board, TTC Staff, and members of the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT) will be on hand to hear from the public about the accessibility of conventional TTC and door-to-door (Wheel-Trans) public transit services in Toronto. Let us know how the TTC team can make the system accessible for everyone.

Topics

• Discussion of previous Public Forum concerns and progress made
• Review of new service initiatives
• Opportunity for the community to voice concerns or suggestions for accessible transit improvement

How do I get there?

TTC Wheel-Trans accessible shuttle bus service will operate from accessible Bathurst Station to the Queen Elizabeth Hall starting at 5:00 p.m. Return buses will start at 9:00 p.m.

Regularly scheduled accessible bus service is also available on the 29 Dufferin Route.

For assistance in planning your trip using the TTC Accessible Transit Network, call TTC Customer Info at 416-393-4636.

2013 TTC Public Forum on Accessible Transit

Queen Elizabeth Exhibition Hall, Exhibition Place
180 Princes’ Boulevard
Thursday, May 9, 2013
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. - One-on-One Discussions with TTC Staff
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - Open Forum
Join the conversation on Twitter: #TTCAccess

TTC Board, TTC Staff, and members of the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT) will be on hand to hear from the public about the accessibility of conventional TTC and door-to-door (Wheel-Trans) public transit services in Toronto. Let us know how the TTC team can make the system accessible for everyone.

Topics

• Discussion of previous Public Forum concerns and progress made
• Review of new service initiatives
• Opportunity for the community to voice concerns or suggestions for accessible transit improvement

How do I get there?

TTC Wheel-Trans accessible shuttle bus service will operate from accessible Bathurst Station to the Queen Elizabeth Hall starting at 5:00 p.m. Return buses will start at 9:00 p.m.

Regularly scheduled accessible bus service is also available on the 29 Dufferin Route.

For assistance in planning your trip using the TTC Accessible Transit Network, call TTC Customer Info at 416-393-4636.

From the ACAT Chair, February 2013

I am Angela Marley, Chair of your 2013 Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT).  Susan Davidson and Howard Wax are Vice Chairs. I am a life-long user of public transit in cities where I have lived and travelled.  In 2005, I started using Wheel-Trans.  After gaining confidence using my power wheel chair, I took my first trips on the accessible subways and buses in November 2011.  I really enjoy the freedom to travel when I like, not having to book rides in advance. 

ACAT members have a variety of skills and experiences to provide advice to the TTC, including Wheel-Trans.  This year, we look forward to reviewing a number of items: the new articulated buses, the subway station descriptions and maps to be placed on the TTC web site, the response to the Auditor General's Report on Wheel-Trans service and many more issues related to accessible transit.
Mark your calendar.  The sixth annual Public Forum is scheduled for Thursday May 9th in the Queen Elizabeth Building at the CNE. 

Sincerely,
Angela Marley

You can contact the Chair by letter, e-mail or fax:

Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT)
c/o Wheel-Trans,
580 Commissioners Street,
Toronto, Ontario M4M 1A7
E-mail: acat@ttc.ca or
Fax: 416-338-0126

Committee meetings are held on the last Thursday of every month at the TTC Head Office, 1900 Yonge Street, 7th floor boardroom. Visitors are welcome to come and observe meetings.

New Automated Callout Service “Vehicle Arrival”

• We will let you know when we are on the way
• No need to rush or call Reservations

Wheel-Trans is excited to announce that by Fall, 2013, we will be calling our customers to let them know when our vehicles are on the way, or running late!

Our automated callout service will call you when the vehicle is 15 minutes away from picking you up.  This will allow customers enough time to ensure that they are ready and waiting for the vehicle to arrive at the pick-up location. If we are running more than 20 minutes late, you will also receive an automated call.

Safety and Service Hints

• Verify addresses before calling Wheel-Trans to book your rides.  In order to book an address, we need the correct numerical address, closest intersection, building type and entrance. For example: 1900 Yonge St., Yonge and Davisville, office building, main entrance.
• Drivers are responsible for your safety. If you will require assistance with parcels or luggage, please have an escort travel with you to assist.
• Wheel-Trans will take you anywhere within the City of Toronto or to any location within 1 km of the Toronto boundaries. 
• If you miss your ride going to a location, your return ride is automatically cancelled. You must call within 30 minutes to let us know that you will still need your ride going home.
• If you miss your ride or your ride is late, call the Priority Line at 416-393-4311 to enquire about the status of your ride.
• If travelling in a power wheelchair or scooter, please remember to remove the key when the device is secured and do not replace it until the driver has released your device and you are ready to drive it away.
• We all need to pay our “Fare Share”. If you have forgotten your fare, please send it as soon as possible to:
  Wheel-Trans Customer Service at 580 Commissioners St., Toronto, On M4M 1A7. Be sure to include your name and registration number.
• If you use a TTC Metropass, always show it to the driver so that the Metropass number can be recorded and you will be marked as paid. 

The Wheel-Trans Booking SIte: mywheel-trans.ttc.ca

Internet Trip Booking:

(Available from 5:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., 7 days a week)
When you book your trips at mywheel-trans.ttc.ca, you are able to choose from:

• Your Favourites List:
  Use the list on the back page if you have not already submitted your list.
• Common Landmarks:
  These are the addresses of all major hospitals, shopping malls, entertainment facilities, Community Centres, and any other locations that we provide rides to on a regular basis. It is not necessary to add these addresses to your favourites because they are available for everyone to choose.
• Any Destination:  
  Addresses that you have booked a trip to in the last 6 months.

Definitions

Wheel-Trans has changed the terms that we use to describe trip requests and the process for putting Prebook trips on hold.

• An Occasional Trip (formerly Advance/Next Day) is a trip that you are booking to and from a destination to arrive or depart at a specific time on a specific date. You only require this trip one time. The trip request is made for the next day. 
• A Regular Trip (formerly Prebook) is a trip you are booking to and from a destination to arrive or depart at the same time for at least two (2) weeks in a row.
• A Regular Trip Interruption (formerly Prebook Exception) is when you place a Regular Trip request on hold for a specific period of time.
• Your Favourites List (formerly Pre-Registered List) is comprised of your home address, pick-up address, work address, and any 9 addresses of your choice. 

RideLine 416-397-8000

Automated Touchtone System:

Available from 5:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., 7 days a week) 

When you book your Occasional Trips on RideLine, you are able to choose from:

• Your Favourites List:
  Use the list on the back page if you have not already submitted your list.
• Common Landmarks:
  These are the addresses of all major hospitals, shopping malls, entertainment facilities, Community Centres and any other locations that we provide rides to on a regular basis. It is not necessary to add these addresses to your favourites because they are available for everyone to choose.
• Any Destination:  
  Addresses that you have booked a trip to in the last 6 months.

A Representative will be pleased to show you how the RideLine or Internet Trip Booking works. Call Customer Service at 416-393-4111 or wtcs@ttc.ca. You can also ask to attend one of our Wheel-Trans 101 Information Sessions.

How to Book an Overnight Return Trip on mywheel-trans.ttc.ca

Wheel-Trans now has 24-Hour transit service, 365 days a year

You can book a trip to and from your location on the same day if your return trip is before 2:45 a.m. by choosing an Occasional Round Trip.

Any return trip requests after 2:45 a.m. must be booked for the next day.

For instance, if you are travelling to a location at 11:00 p.m. and returning at 3:00 a.m., you must book 2 Occasional One-Way Trips.

People in Motion: Canada’s Largest Exhibition for People with Disabilities

Queen Elizabeth Building
Exhibition Place, Toronto
Friday, May 31 & Saturday, June 1,
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Free Admission

Wheel-Trans will provide Shuttle Bus service from accessible Bathurst Subway Station to the People in Motion Show.  For assistance in planning your trip using the TTC Accessible Transit Network, call TTC Customer Information at 416-393-INFO (4636) or visit the website www.ttc.ca.

• For TTC schedule and route information, visit www.ttc.ca and click on Schedules & Maps
• Call 416-393-4636 (INFO) for more information about Accessible TTC.
• Go to mywheel-trans.ttc.ca, to book  online, or call the RideLine at 416-397-8000 to book your rides. To choose your destination, choose “Landmarks”, then “CommCntr/Attrn/Office/Library/Rel/Park” and then choose “CNE - People in Motion Show” or “CNE - Queen Elizabeth Building”

The Wheel-Trans Shuttle Bus will leave every ½ hour from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.