Application & Eligibility

Based on your application and potentially a functional assessment, you may qualify for one of three eligibility categories of service.

If you have a disability that prevents you from using conventional transportation services you will be categorized as having unconditional eligibility.

If you have a temporary disability that prevents you from using conventional transportation services for a finite period of time you will be categorized as having temporary eligibility.

If your disability is such that environmental or physical barriers limit your ability to consistently use conventional transportation services you will be categorized as having conditional eligibility.

Individuals with conditional eligibility may have their trip provided via our Family of Services.

Eligibility categories have been defined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). An applicant that qualifies for conditional service can use the conventional TTC service for part of their trip, but also requires Wheel-Trans under specific circumstances (e.g., weather, travel to a non-accessible location).

Wheel-Trans is currently developing a plan to transition existing customers to the new eligibility criteria over the next three years. If you are a current customer, Wheel-Trans will contact you when the time is appropriate to capture your eligibility under the new criteria. We don't anticipate starting this process until 2017, and it will take several years to complete.

Changes to customer conditions or to environmental or physical barriers may result in changes to a customer’s eligibility category.

The new application for Wheel-Trans eligibility specifically asks about an individual’s ability to wait at a transit stop.

We have worked with the City of Toronto Ombudsman’s office to make sure the process is transparent and meets AODA legislation. Eligibility will be determined from the application and if necessary, a formal functional assessment performed by a qualified health care professional contracted by the TTC. The focus is on the applicant’s responses as opposed to a scoring system.

Our interest in your disability is only in how it impacts your ability to use public transit. The new application process is designed to identify and assess any barriers applicants may have with respect to using conventional transit. These conditions will all be considered when determining your category of eligibility. Our goal is to match the level of accessible service a customer requires with their ability to use conventional transit.

Wheel-Trans does not charge for the application process. However, the new application may require your physician to complete part of the form and he/she may charge for this.

While the definition of disability includes a broad range of conditions, our focus is on whether the disability impacts an individual’s ability to use conventional transit. Both the application and the functional assessment have been designed to capture that information.

Our goal is to provide customers with a system that possesses the necessary flexibility to account for fluctuating circumstances. We are currently conducting research and developing an improved model to address sudden increases in demand for specialized service.

The service delivery model is being updated in an effort to increase capacity to allow for same day booking for Family of Services trips.

Sensory limitations (e.g., blindness, diminished vision at night) are included in the expanded definition of disability. The new application specifically addresses these restrictions.

In addition, we have been involved in comprehensive consultation with the CNIB to understand how these types of limitations could be supported by Wheel-Trans. Both CNIB and Balance offer training for conventional transit users on how to travel along a specific route. Individuals who are successful with that training would be able to use conventional transit for familiar routes. For travel to unfamiliar destinations, customers could book rides on Wheel-Trans.

The new application process is designed to identify and assess any barriers applicants may have with respect to using conventional transit. These conditions will all be considered when determining your category of eligibility. Our goal is to match the level of accessible service a customer requires with their ability to use conventional transit.

The definition for eligibility has been determined by the AODA and is based upon an individual’s level of ability. If an individual is able to use conventional transit for all or part of their trip then that customer will receive conditional eligibility. Based on conditions relevant to the specific trip, a customer may be accommodated by an appropriate combination of Wheel-Trans and conventional services.

The new application process is designed to identify and assess any barriers applicants may have with respect to using conventional transit. These conditions will all be considered when determining your category of eligibility. Our goal is to match the level of accessible service a customer requires with their ability to use conventional transit.

An inability to walk the distance from the bus stop to your home would be an example of a disability that prevents you from using conventional accessible transit for a portion or your entire trip.

Appeals will be handled by a separate group from the persons that handle the initial application.