TTC 2024-2028 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

• Generally, there is skepticism about the TTC’s commitment to accessibility 
• Customers with disabilities feel accessibility has been deprioritized, and that their perspectives have not been fully captured in both previously published accessibility plans, and in the actual work that has been executed.
• Some customers with disabilities expressed gratitude for these consultation activities, but more expressed frustration over being continually consulted and not having their feedback actioned.
• Customers with disabilities want more accountability from the TTC around plans for and the status of accessibility initiatives.
• Organizations and groups representing people with disabilities (service and advocacy organizations, ACAT) want more acknowledgement of their contributions to consultations around accessibility (e.g. through paid compensation, or deeper and more timely consultation)

• Many customers complimented frontline staff customer service, especially Wheel-Trans staff.
• Families expressed appreciation for operators who engage with children with disabilities.
• Customers are happy with the independence that Wheel-Trans affords and hope to see improvements to the system to facilitate even greater independence.
• Some customers expressed gratitude and appreciation for the consultation work being done to inform the upcoming MYAP.

• Service disruptions at accessible stops and stations or with Wheel-Trans trips resulted in missed appointments, repercussions at work, or the rescheduling or cancellation of recreation activities. 
• Customers felt less able to carry out the activities of daily living in comparison to non-disabled customers due to barriers to accessibility. 
• Same day Wheel-Trans service requires 4 hours advance notice meaning customers with disabilities do not have the ability to make spontaneous plans or change plans easily.
• Customers feel that accessibility improvements are not prioritized and slow to develop at the TTC. 
• Customers noted being denied full breadth of TTC services due to system wide barriers i.e. inaccessible subway stations.
• Some customers with disabilities believe that the TTC does not see their time as valuable.

• Infrastructure can be poorly maintained
• Infrastructure is designed poorly and can make customers feel unsafe (overly steep streetcar ramps, elevators at the end of long hallways)
• Available inconsistently across TTC services
• Insufficient washrooms available across the system
• Temporary bus and streetcar stops are not always accessible and the changes are not well communicated to customers
• Gaps between subway and subway platform have caused mobility devices to become stuck in it
• Lack of seating options in stations and at stops
• Inconsistent and inadequate snow removal presents a significant barrier in winter
• Wheel-Trans Family of Services (FOS) users reported inaccessible drop off and pick up locations.

Customers say they've encountered:

•  Steep ramps, which could cause backsliding or tipping for customers using mobility devices, especially on street cars
• Unmaintained curb cuts and ramps in winter, which sometimes put them in the path of traffic until they can reach another access point
• Operators closing subway doors too quickly and catching people and goods
• Insufficient staffing at stations to support all customers, including those with disabilities
• Inaccessible emergency call and notification systems 
• Customers with scent allergies or sensitivities noted having reactions to heavy scents in enclosed spaces on TTC transit, particularly in vehicles used by sub-contracted Wheel-Trans drivers
• Some neurodivergent customers explained that they felt unsafe (whether the risk was tangible or not) due to excessive sensory stimuli in Wheel-Trans contracted vehicles (e.g., loud radio; driver talking a lot; strong scent) and advocated to the extent possible for sensory-friendly vehicles

•  Provisions for accessibility are available but more prone to disruptions or reliability issues (e.g., access hubs; Wheel-Trans and FOS)
• Elevator outages at stations. This is particularly impactful as part of the FOS program if the Wheel-Trans driver has already left 
• Construction (City, TTC, Metrolinx), resulting in re-routing of services. This impacts both planning accessible routes as well as navigating and finding accessible pathways
• Scheduling issues with Wheel-Trans services – drivers may arrive late, causing a TTC customer to be late for work or an appointment; also, rides were sometimes changed or cancelled without rider input
• Inconsistent customer service between regular Wheel-Trans drivers and subcontracted Wheel-Trans taxi drivers

• Sometimes communication to customers about route changes and disruptions is inaccessible (e.g., disruptions only being announced visually or auditorily)
• Need to write in plain language 
• Customers with disabilities need clear information and indication about last accessible stop on TTC transit to make trip planning decisions 
• Some of TTC’s communication channels (e.g. social media) lack accessibility features (e.g.,alternative text, closed captions)
• Poor communication around eligibility status for Wheel-Trans, including confirmation of eligibility, and changes to eligibility
• Poor communication between Wheel-Trans drivers and their customers leading to canceled rides
• Insufficient communication to Wheel-Trans drivers and front-line staff regarding service disruptions (e.g., elevator outages)
• Wheel-Trans customers indicated a need for a separate stream of communications to cancel or reschedule Wheel-Trans rides

  Customers shared that: 

• Digital next-train and next-bus screens do not have headphone jacks and cannot connect to Bluetooth, so they are inaccessible to people who rely on information being communicated auditorily
• SafeTTC and Wheel-Trans app have barriers – difficult to navigate, and not screen-ready friendly, and there are barriers to information for some people with disabilities (e.g.people with cognitive or intellectual disabilities) because they feel the app is not intuitive to use nor reliable
• More support resources would help customers with disabilities use TTC services (e.g.expanding Travel Training program and related resources, especially resources in accessible formats)
• Wheel-Trans app is poorly designed – it is “temperamental” and does not update in real-time 
• Need to improve Wheel-Trans phone system or  offer better alternatives for booking Wheel-Trans for people without internet access or whose digital literacy is not strong

• There is an almost no braille or raised text signage for customers who are blind or have low vision at TTC transit stops and in subway stations
• The frequency and placement of signage was cited as a barrier. In many cases, customers and staff indicated that there is not enough signage to easily navigate one’s way through a station, especially at Union Station, which is large and complex to navigate
• In other cases, signage is poorly placed or inconsistently placed at transit stops and stations
• There is the sense that the TTC expects all users to have a certain level of familiarity with both the transit system and Toronto more broadly 
• Signage is often not written in plain language, too small, or uses a mixture of old and new style naming conventions
• Temporary route change signage is frequently on standard letter size paper that is taped or zip-tied to poles and has no braille or other accessibility features such as a QR code to aid users in parsing the information 
• TTC uses its own wayfinding and signage standards that are not consistent with any other transit system in the province

•  TTC staff are friendly and supportive  
• Some negative feedback about subcontracted Wheel-Trans drivers (e.g., late; missed or erroneously cancelled pick-ups; dirty and sensory-unfriendly vehicles)
• Customers noted insufficient Wheel-Trans staff resulting in delays and barriers to service
• TTC frontline staff believed that increased staff presence at critical junctures of operations were necessary to reduce barriers and support customers with disabilities
• Customers advocated for more and better trained staff who were versed in current accessibility measures and best practices
• There are barriers to scheduling and logistics when it comes to booking Wheel-Trans services or when using Family of Services
• Takes a lot of time to book and use accessible transit
• Wheel-Trans scheduled pick up and drop off times are often poorly aligned with the activity they're booking a ride for