The term public transit implies that it’s for everyone, but some Carleton University advocates say that’s not always the case.
Carleton Transit Riders and the Carleton Disability Awareness Centre gathered on campus Friday to discuss barriers to accessible transit, including absent or late buses and long travel times.
Shay Hammad, programming coordinator for the Carleton Disability Awareness Centre, said there is also inconsistency with stop announcements on buses.
“Some buses have audible stop announcements while some don’t,” Hammad said. “It’s so unreliable.”
The digital signs inside buses that inform riders of their next stop and whether a stop has been requested can also be unreliable, said Carys-Anne Sterling, the centre’s administrative coordinator.
“Sometimes the sign will just be blank, so you get the combo of no sound and no sign,” Starling said.
Carleton Transit Riders president Brooke Anderson added they also see issues with the Para Transpo shared ride service.
“There is no same-day booking. They don’t give you a specific time they’ll be there, they give you a range of times,” Anderson said. “Even then, they don’t show up at that time.”
Joey Sims, a first-year childhood and youth studies student at Carleton who attended the event, said they find transit in the nation’s capital lacking compared to service in their hometown of Winnipeg.
“I definitely see more people with accessibility needs using it,” Sims said of Winnipeg transit, adding they have observed Winnipeg bus drivers are more helpful to people using wheelchairs and strollers.
“Students are the largest shareholder in transit, and we’re incredibly underrepresented in discussions around it,” Anderson said.
Carleton Transit Riders executives, including Mbaga, urged people at the event to bring their concerns to the group so they can present student complaints at city hall transit committee meetings.
“We will be your megaphone — your voice,” Mbaga said.
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Featured image provided by Carleton Transit Riders.
