Wheel-Trans

Wheel-Trans
Parent	Toronto Transit Commission
Founded	1975; 49 years ago
Headquarters	Lakeshore Bus Garage
Service area	Toronto (city proper), Toronto Pearson International Airport
Service type	Door-to-door paratransit
Website	Wheel-Trans

Wheel-Trans is a paratransit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, provided by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It provides specialized door-to-door accessible transit services for persons with physical disabilities using its fleet of accessible minibuses or contracted accessible taxis. Users must register with the TTC who will typically grant access to those with permanent disabilities or show difficulty in traveling short distances. Wheel-Trans only provides service within the city of Toronto and accepts regular TTC fare.

History

Wheel-Trans was born out of an initiative by the Trans-Action Coalition, a group led by Beryl Potter lobbying for transit accessibility in Toronto.^[1] The paratransit system was officially created in 1975 as a two-year pilot project contracted to Wheelchair Mobile and operated on behalf of Metropolitan Toronto and the province of Ontario until 1976.^[2] Only individuals using wheelchairs were accepted as the original 46 users of the pilot project, and rode at no cost. In 1977 the service was contracted to All-Way Transportation Corporation of Toronto before being taken over by the TTC in 1985.

Operations

Service provision

Service is provided by accessible buses and contracted accessible taxi mini-vans. Wheel-Trans is a door-to-door service. Rides can be reserved up to one week in advance by calling the reservation line, by using the automated Ride-Line touch-tone phone service or by using the recently launched Wheel-Trans Online Trip Booking website.

Fleet

Wheel-Trans buses operates as part of the main TTC fleet but do not include wheelchair assessable buses from the regular fleet.

Contracts

Most of Wheel-Trans operations are provided by the TTC, but some of the services are contracted out to private operators.

Able Atlantic Taxi


Make/model	Description	# passengers	Year acquired	Year retired	Notes
Chrysler Caravan	Converted van	2

Bee Line Taxi

Beck Taxi


Make/model	Description	# passengers	Year acquired	Year retired	Notes
Chevrolet Uplander	Converted van	4	1998	June, 2011
Chevrolet Venture	Converted van	4	1998	June, 2011
Dodge Grand Caravan	Converted Van	4	1997		TTL Vehicle
Toyota Sienna	Converted Van	4	2005		TTL Vehicle
Ford Transit Connect	Modified Vehicle	5 (Includes Wheelchair)	2015		TTL Vehicle
Plymouth Voyager	Converted Van	5	1996	November, 2002
Toyota Camry	Sedan	4	2007		Non-wheelchair accessible (Canes and walkers)
MV-1 (Mobility-Vehicle 1)	Minivan	2 (Wheelchairs)	2013		TTL Vehicle or used as a Wheel-Trans contracted vehicle.
Toyota Corolla	Sedan	4	2015		Non-wheelchair accessible (Canes and walkers)
Ford Crown Victoria	Sedan	4	1994	2008	Limited fleet. Cab drivers may not acquire this vehicle for service - Non-wheelchair accessible (Canes and walkers)

Royal Taxi


Make/model	Description	# passengers	Year acquired	Year retired	Notes
Dodge Grand Caravan Sport	Converted van	2		Used as TTL vehicle or for Wheel-Trans contracted taxicabs.
Pontiac Montana	Converted van	2		Retired - Toronto Municipal Licensing and Standards no longer allow this vehicle in service, as it does not meet requirements to operate as a taxicab.
Chevrolet Venture	Converted van	2		All vehicles in fleet retired as of April 8, 2009. This vehicle may not enter service as it does not meet requirements to operate as a taxicab.
Ford Crown Victoria	Sedan	4	1996	2008	Toronto Municipal Licensing and Standards no longer allow this vehicle in service, as it does not meet requirements to operate as a taxicab. - Non-wheelchair accessible.

Scarboro City Cab


Make/model	Description	# passengers	Year acquired	Year retired	Notes
Dodge Grand Caravan Sport	Converted van	2

Toronto Para Transit


Make/model	Description	# passengers	Year acquired	Year retired	Notes
Chevrolet Venture-Kino Maxi Shuttle	Converted van	2
Chrysler Caravan	Converted van	2

Wheelchair Taxi


Make/model	Description	# passengers	Year acquired
Ford E350 minibus	Converted van	~3
Chrysler Caravan	Converted van	2
Chrysler Sprinter van	Converted van	2
Ford Transit Connect	Converted van	4	2014

Assessibility outside of Wheel-Trans

As for 2017, all 1,869 buses are low floor to allow for easy accessible by mobility devices. While all subway trains are accessible, only 35 of the 69 stations have elevators. The SRT cars are not accessible. On the Toronto streetcar network, the Flexity Outlook streetcars are fully accessible. However, not all stops are easily accessible for customers in wheelchairs, particularly in winter.

References

^ Hey, Kevin; Sheldrake, John, eds. (2019) [1997]. Urban Transport: A Century of Progress?. Taylor and Francis. ISBN 9780429685538 – via Google Books.
^ "Wheel-Trans called a 'mess' since the TTC took over: [FIN Edition]". Toronto Star. 1989-01-16. p. A6. ISSN 0319-0781.