Do Not Leave Unattended Policy

Purpose

Set out the guidelines and rules for persons travelling on TTC Wheel-Trans vehicles who require a Do Not Leave Unattended (DNLU) designation. This includes defining the DNLU designation and outlining the steps for adding and removing of the designation.
Scope

The policy applies to currently registered Wheel-Trans customers with a DNLU designation, as well as any other registered Wheel-Trans customer who will require a DNLU designation.  When a customer with a DNLU designation is travelling with a Support Person or Companion, this policy will not apply, and the customer will be able to schedule occasional trips to any destination within the Wheel-Trans service boundary.

Legislative Requirements

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005);

Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation, Ont. Reg. 191/11; and

Ontario Human Rights Code.

Definitions

Common public entrance is the appointed waiting area in a public facility. Examples of the common public entrance include a lobby, lounge, entry way, atrium, reception desk, information desk, etc.

Designated attendant(s) is one or more persons who have agreed to receive and take responsibility for a DNLU customer at their Wheel-Trans trip destination. Determination as to who the designated attendant(s) are will be made jointly by Wheel-Trans and the customer’s guardian/representative in writing and will remain on the DNLU’s customer’s file. It is the responsibility of the customer’s guardian/representative to advise Wheel-Trans staff if they wish to change the designated attendant(s).

Destination is the location where a customer gets off the Wheel-Trans vehicle. As an example, a destination can be the location where the customer’s program is, or it can be the customer’s home.

DNLU customer is a registered Wheel-Trans customer whose profile has been assigned the Do Not Leave Unattended designation.

Do Not Leave Unattended (DNLU) is a designation on a customer profile which identifies the customer, whom for safety reasons, cannot be left unattended at their destination.

Door-to-door is the origin to destination service provided to registered Wheel-Trans customers which consists of transit service from the door at the customer’s pick up location to the door at the customer’s destination.

Door/Designated Door is the common public entrance to a building, residence or area that provides shelter from the elements. This may include going through a maximum of two (2) doorways into the common public entrance of public facilities i.e. the weather doors and then entry doors to a medical building.

Occasional Trips are booked up to seven days in advance of travel. For example, you can call on Monday to book trips for Tuesday and up to and including the following Monday.

Regular trips are recurring trips which occur at the same time, on the same day of the week and to the same destination on a repeated schedule e.g. trips to work, school or physical therapy. These trips only need to be scheduled once.

Support Person is an individual who assists a person with a disability with communication, mobility, personal care/medical needs or with access to goods, services or facilities.

Policy

TTC Wheel-Trans agrees to assign the DNLU designation to a customer’s profile if the following conditions are met:

1. A designated attendant(s) name or position at the facility and phone number is provided to Customer Service, and placed on the customer’s file. Upon arrival at the destination, the operator will only hand off the customer to an approved attendant.
2. The customer is twelve (12) years or older.
3. The customer has been approved for unconditional or temporary eligibility. Customers with conditional eligibility should not have a DNLU designation.
4. Customer is capable of following the operator’s directions when entering and exiting a Wheel-Trans vehicle.
5. Customer is capable of travelling in a Wheel-Trans vehicle independently.
6. Customer is capable of remaining seated in the vehicle for the duration of the trip.
7. Customer does not present a safety risk to themselves or others
8. Customer is able to be left unattended in a Wheel-Trans vehicle when the operator is escorting other customers to and from the vehicle.
9. All occasional trips require a Mandatory Support Person

Trip Scheduling Criteria for Customers Travelling Alone with DNLU designation

1. Trips must be regularly scheduled trips (re-occurring) on the same days and at the same times. Occasionally scheduled trips will not be considered.
2. Address of the trip destination must be verified by Customer Service as a day program/education or work placement location, and must meet the following criteria:
   1. Have a designated attendant available to meet Wheel-Trans operators at the door or common public entrance to the facility as Wheel-Trans operators are not required to accompany a customer farther than the entrance doors to the building.
   2. Agree to escort customer to the same door or common public entrance for their scheduled return trip.
   3. Ensure there is no delay to Wheel-Trans service, i.e. designated attendant should not be late to receive/escort customer.
3. Trip drop-off and pick-up times must be scheduled within the hours the facility is open for operations, not earlier or later. This should be confirmed at the time of booking.

Actions to be Taken when Designated Attendant is not present to receive customer with DNLU designation

If the designated attendant is not available to receive the customer at the destination, the vehicle will wait a maximum of five (5) minutes before continuing on their route with the customer on board.

1. Emergency contact for the customer will be notified and customer will be re-routed to an agreed upon destination.
2. The first occurrence whereby the designated attendant is not present at the destination will result in an advisory letter being sent to the customer’s guardian/representative reminding them of the policy.

Should there be another occurrence whereby the designated attendant at a destination is not present, the customer will no longer be able to travel to that location by themselves, and will be required to travel with a mandatory support person.

If the customer’s family/guardian wishes to appeal they may call Customer Service.