Worries over TransLink scrapping its taxi saver program
Posted May 16, 2012 3:59 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Disabled people and seniors who rely on TransLink’s taxi saver program are outraged. Taxi vouchers for 50 per cent fare discounts have been scrapped as the transit authority looks for ways to save money.
Lilo Ljubisic is a retired five time Paralympian who’s won a world record in discus and shot put. She’s totally blind, and worries how she’s going to get around without her taxi discount because she says HandyDART is unreliable, and bus and SkyTrain are not helpful.
“Imagine this,” she says, “when a bus drops you off at an address and you are maybe ten or maybe twelve blocks away, you’re totally blind, you have no way of getting there or knowing how to get there.”
It’s not just her. Seniors groups are worried about getting to and from medical appointments. Ljubisic understands that belt-tightening is needed, but feels this move is unfair to those who already struggle to get around, especially on a fixed income.
“People who are most marginalized in this society,” she adds. “People who are disabled, who are handicapped permanently, and who are living under very difficult situations and financially strapped until the day what we die.”
“I tell you my blood pressure rose, and I have low blood pressure,” notes Ljubisic. “I was absolutely dumbstruck. This program being taken away will mean that many of us will decide not to go out because we don’t have the means nor the wherewithal to do it.”
TransLink‘s Drew Snider says it will save more than $1-million a year, and a portion of that is being put back into HandyDART. Still, he admits it was a difficult decision.
“We recognize there will be people who will be inconvenienced, they will feel put out by it. But on the other hand, we felt this was the best way to handle the public’s money as efficiently and effectively as possible.”
“I would say they can have more confidence in this simply because we will have more resources available through the HandyDART system and it’s a cost we’ll be able to control, which we haven’t been able to do with the taxi savers,” Snider adds.
He believes far fewer HandyDART requests will go unanswered with that increased service and a cab ride can be arranged if service is unavailable.
Taxi saver coupons will still be honoured until July of 2013, but will not be issued after August of this year. The program has been around for over 20 years.
