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TransLink says it can no longer accommodate a HandyDART passenger, despite him having used the service for almost 30 years.
Tom Cretain has spinal muscular atrophy and isn’t able to sit up. For decades he has relied on HandyDART to drive him to his destinations on an accessible bus or taxi.
However, two months ago, the 71-year-old said he was told TransLink couldn’t send him a ride.
Then there was a meeting in which his wheelchair was measured.
Cretain says this confirmed everything fits into the taxi. But then he received a letter saying, “Neither HandyDART buses nor contracted wheelchair accessible taxis are able to safely and reliably accommodate your present equipment.”
Cretain said that begged the question: “Were you transporting me unsafely for 28 years?”
On Monday, after receiving a request from Global News for an interview, TransLink sent a statement saying that Cretain’s “current mobility device exceeds what the vehicles available through HandyDART can safely accommodate. These needs will be considered and assessed as part of the specifications for future HandyDART vehicles.”
They said that a recent review requested by “our contracted taxi provider identified safety issues related to the size of his mobility device and his transfer requirements. It was determined that his needs can no longer be safely accommodated by either HandyDART vehicles or the wheelchair-accessible taxis available through the service. This was not the result of a policy change.”
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TransLink said it recommends non-emergency hospital transfer services as the safest available option for Cretain.
However, hospital transfers don’t do non-medical transportation, they told Global News on Monday, saying that transportation for medical appointments may be available if the appropriate booking criteria are met, but they do not generally provide transportation for non-medical purposes, such as grocery shopping or other personal errands.
When told this news, TransLink stated that it has also reached out to the province to request a meeting to further discuss Cretain’s situation.
And Cretain said he is not a patient; he’s just trying to live his life.
He says he has been living a rich life, travelling, attending events and meeting celebrities. But since the unexpected HandyDART changes, he’s been housebound, cancelling summer plans and missing medical appointments.
“It shut my life down,” Cretain said. “I haven’t been out for two months.”
“Your mandate is to provide transportation for people like me in this day and age. When people are going to the moon, I think they can find a way to get me across town.”
Emily Watson, senior vice-president, Western Canada at Transdev, which operates HandyDART on behalf of TransLink, said in a statement that they are “actively working with TransLink to identify suitable transportation alternatives and will continue collaborating on long-term solutions for passengers.”
Elenore Sturko, the independent MLA for Surrey Cloverdale, told Global News on Sunday that she considers this to be a form of discrimination against Cretain due to his disability.
She has been advocating for Cretain and contacting the Ministry of Transportation.
“The fact that they haven’t been able to find any solution to accommodate him, despite the fact they’ve actually been driving him for 28 years, is ridiculous,” Sturko said.
“The government should be ashamed.”
B.C.’s Minister of Transportation Mike Farnworth said his ministry is aware of the situation and will be in contact with TransLink and HandyDART to see what issues need to be addressed in this case.
Cretain said he hopes for a speedy resolution.
“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in this room,” he said.
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