Six months into Hamilton Street Railway’s Fare Assist Program, local disability advocates say the initiative is creating new barriers for people with disabilities, even as the city touts the program’s early success.
Designed to offer low-income residents a 30% discount on public transit, the program replaced an older system that allowed some people with disabilities to ride the bus for free.
Maureen Cosyn Heath, the city’s director of transit, said the previous program was inconsistent and did not apply equally to everyone with disabilities. “It was only for certain disabilities,” Heath said, defending the shift to the new system.
However, disability groups argue the Fare Assist Program has made public transit less accessible. Brad Evoy of the Disability Justice Network of Ontario said the new requirement of having a PRESTO card has proven problematic for many disabled individuals. Evoy added Hamilton has over 166,000 residents who identify as disabled.
“What we are seeing is that people are walking… that people are going to be heading into winter, when if youre using a mobility device that’s only going to be more and more difficult,” Evoy said.
One of the most vocal critics, disability advocate James Kemp, who uses a wheelchair, spoke out at a recent Public Works Committee meeting. Kemp described how the Fare Assist Program has made it harder for people with disabilities to participate in everyday life.
“When barriers get created, our worlds get smaller,” Kemp said. “I’m supposed to attend an awards event tonight, but my stomach is in knots thinking about the six buses I’ll need to take.”
Despite these concerns, the city is pressing ahead with the two-year pilot project. Heath said the program has been “well received” and that the city is confident it will meet its objectives over time. However, advocates remain frustrated, feeling their voices are not being heard.
The Fare Assist Program is scheduled for another review in March.