Access - Winter 2024


Newsletter of the Wheel-Trans community

View a PDF version of the newsletter.

Message from the Head of Wheel-Trans

As we approach the end of the year, it is important to take a moment to reflect on our accomplishments in 2024. Wheel-Trans has improved its on-time performance, and 96% of the trips arrive within 20 minutes of customers’ scheduled time. This is up from 91% in 2023. As well, due to increased demand, we expanded our Travel Training Program, and hired three additional Travel Training specialists, bringing the total number of specialists to four. This will help us reach more Wheel-Trans customers who want to learn about travelling on the conventional system and the accessibility features available at stations and onboard vehicles. 

In September, the TTC hosted another successful Annual Public Forum on Accessible Transit in collaboration with the TTC’s Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT). Thank you to everyone who attended in person or virtually and shared your thoughts. Your feedback is important to us and will be crucial in planning service improvements for 2025. 

Further, Wheel-Trans customers can now use the ‘Where is My Ride?’ feature on the Wheel-Trans mobile app to track their rides, including Wheel-Trans buses, Checker taxis, Co-op Accessible Taxis and Royal Accessible Taxis. Over 95% of Accessible Taxis will be available for tracking by the end of 2024. We are also making great progress on the Wheel-Trans Eligibility Re-Registration Program. In 2024, we re-registered over 2200 customers, and now less than 3000 active customers remain to be re-registered. 

Looking forward, we will begin work in 2025 to replace and upgrade our Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. Once implemented, customers can use a single number to reach all Wheel-Trans phone lines. The system will also feature major improvements to the automated trip booking, trip management, and trip inquiry systems. In addition, we will begin upgrades to the computer systems onboard our buses and our reservations, scheduling, and dispatch software. This w ill ultimately allow us to deliver better service to all our customers. 

On behalf of Wheel-Trans, I wish you a joyous holiday season and all the best for 2025!

Cameron Penman
Head, Wheel-Trans

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

In 2024, three TTC subway stations, Donlands, Glencairn, and Castle Frank Stations, became accessible. With these additions, 57 of 70 TTC subway stations are now fully accessible.

Donlands Station

Donlands Station on Line 2 Bloor-Danforth has officially become the TTC’s 55th station in the subway system to receive accessibility upgrades. Two brand new elevators now connect the street level to the subway platform level, enabling customers access to both the eastbound and westbound subway platforms. The elevators were officially opened on October 16, 2024, at an event attended by Julie Dabrusin, Member of Parliament for Toronto-Danforth, City Councillor Paula Fletcher, TTC Chair Jamaal Myers, and TTC Interim CEO Greg Percy. For more information about the project, please visit ttc.ca.

Glencairn Station

Glencairn Stationon Line 1 Yonge–University is the TTC’s 56th accessible subway station. Two new elevators connect the main entrance to the northbound and southbound subway platforms. The elevators opened for customer use on October 1, 2024. 

Castle Frank Station

Castle Frank Station on Line 2 Bloor-Danforth became the TTC’s 57th accessible subway station. The two new elevators at the station were put into service on October 16, 2024, enabling customers to access each subway platform from the station’s street level.

Greenwood Station

Two new elevators are being built at Greenwood Station as part of the Easier Access Program. To safely construct the hallway to the new elevators, protective hoarding had to be installed on the main stairwell, from the street level until the station’s concourse level. Work is taking place behind the protective hoarding. To meet safety regulations, TTC was required to convert this escalator to a staircase, which permits sufficient up-and-down pedestrian access at all times.

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

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

Screenshot of Wheel Trans Reregistration page

Have you downloaded the Wheel-Trans mobile app?

You can book and manage your trips using the Wheel-Trans mobile app. The app is available for free for both iOS and Android users and supports most of the functions available on the Wheel-trans Self-booking Website. Visit the Google Play Store or the App Store to download the app. For more information, please contact Wheel-Trans Customer Service by phone at 416-393-4111 or by email at WTCS@ttc.ca.

Operations Update

Safety first! As the holiday and winter season approaches, please make sure that your personal entrances are clear of ice and snow. You can 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.

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 reoccur every week) from December 22, 2024, to January 4, 2025, 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 above mentioned period, please let us know beginning December 8, 2024, 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.

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

FINCHGO Transfer Point: 5697 Yonge St. at 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.

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

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

Service to Major Malls

In order to deal with congested parking lots at shopping malls, beginning Sunday, December 8, 2024, we’ll 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 Bakery and T & T Supermarket Entrance.
  • Cloverdale Mall: Entrance #4 near Kitchen Stuff Plus and Entrance #7 near Home Hardware.
  • Sherway Gardens: Entrance #7 near Shoppers Drug Mart and Entrance #4 near Pottery Barn.

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!

Congratulations to the new ACAT members and pool members!

We would like to congratulate the new members and pool members selected for the 2025 ACAT term! The new members will join the committee in January 2025 and contribute to the group’s efforts to provide advice and guidance in continuing to make the TTC accessible to all customers. They will replace the outgoing members and pool members who have completed their terms with ACAT. We thank the outgoing volunteers for their time and dedication to ACAT.

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 board 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. We invite organizations that work with people with disabilities to partner with us and enable our customers to lead independent and confident lives. This 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.

Message from the ACAT Chair

When ACAT members reflect on this year’s work of dedication, energy, experience and pride, we share our gratitude for what we have been able to accomplish. This year has been one of tremendous progress and achievement for ACAT in collaboration with TTC managers and staff. It has been a year marked by innovation, partnership, and a strong focus on making transit more accessible and inclusive. I will briefly highlight some of the most impactful accomplishments of 2024.

  • Accessibility enhancements across the network

This year, more subway stations have become accessible with the installation of new elevators and a variety of accessibility features on buses, streetcars and subway networks. Further, more signage, ramps, and tactile tiles were installed at stations. These improvements make it easier for persons with disabilities to manage the system with dignity and ease.

  • Improved the Wheel-Trans service

ACAT worked closely with the Wheel-Trans staff to make the service more reliable, efficient and user friendly. We also worked together to implement new technology that improves the overall experience of customers.

  • Collaboration with the Easier Access Program

As more TTC subway stations become accessible, it will ensure that the TTC system becomes a more inclusive and accessible means of public transit. Further, TTC Operator training programs were implemented to ensure drivers adequately support all persons with disabilities, fostering a culture of inclusiveness. In addition, the Travel Training Program was improved to provide riders with disabilities with easy tips on safely navigating the transit system. 

We look forward to collaborating on future projects that enhance accessibility. Together, we have made the TTC accessible to all, thereby helping improve the quality of life for disabled and senior riders.

Wishing everyone a healthy and happy new year!

Anita Dressler
ACAT Chair (2024)

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