HandyDART riders and workers demand public control as service’s future in question

Metro Vancouver’s HandyDART, a vital transit service for more than 30,000 seniors and people with disabilities, faces uncertainty as its delivery model is reviewed.

Riders, workers, and advocates are urging the provincial government to honour its commitment to bring it under full public control, ensuring reliable access for those who need it most.

Ron Bergen, an advocate who has used HandyDART on and off for a decade, says the service has seen a dip in reliability due to its current privatized model.

“I hear real stories of people missing cancer treatments and different dialysis and that because of the inflexibility and having to change things within 24 hours,” he said.

The service is operated by Transdev, a French for-profit company. During the last provincial election, the BC NDP made a campaign promise to bring HandyDART into government hands.

“If it wasn’t contracted out, we could start having a much safer and reliable service for people that really need the help,” Bergen said.

The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1724, representing over 600 drivers, says the status quo isn’t adequate.

“Cutting corners and making it for-profit has got to end, and David Eby needs to keep his promise,” said union president Joe McCann.

According to data from TransLink, 25 per cent of all HandyDART trips are carried out by taxis, which Bergen says poses a safety issue.

“We’ve heard in the last year or so of some serious accidents of people not being tied down properly in taxi use,” he said.

The ATU says bringing the service in-house would reduce the need for taxis.

The Ministry of Transportation says it acknowledges HandyDART’s importance and says TransLink is reviewing its delivery model and incorporating stakeholder feedback. But a decision planned for June 25 has been delayed, leaving advocates frustrated.

“If you really are concerned about people with disabilities and seniors — which are a large number of the voting population in the province — you would really take this seriously and come through with what you told us you would do,” Bergen said.

With widespread municipal support and a clear public demand, the union and advocates are calling for a decision to bring HandyDART into public hands by the 2026 provincial budget.

Meanwhile, McCann says drivers are not happy about always running late for clients.

“It’s heartbreaking because we want our clients to get there on time,” he said.