B.C. Transit is reversing a budget cut to a program that provides discounted coupons for taxi fares to people with disabilities.
“As of this morning we've decided we'll be providing additional funding to cover any overruns,” said B.C. Transit spokesperson Joanna Morton. “It is effective immediately and we do apologize for the inconvenience it's likely caused some of the clients of our services.”
The Taxi Saver program provides half price taxi coupons for people to use when HandyDart fails to accommodate their needs, according to B.C. Transit's website. Funding is shared between B.C. Transit and municipalities and the program is available in a limited number of communities, Morton said.
In Vernon B.C. Transit had told clients no more coupons would be available until April and in Prince George the authority had halved the number of coupons people were allowed to buy, the Tyee reported yesterday.
B.C. Transit has reversed both decisions and is reviewing the program, Morton said. “We've seen a marked increase in customer use for the taxi saver program,” she said.
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
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DPL
2 years ago
First they scare hell out of
First they scare hell out of a lot of people who use HandiDart and when that isn't available, the Taxi Savers. The Taxi Savers are limited to 40 bucks in a month which translates into 80 bucks of taxi time. It really isn't that large an amount but it sure beats what the transit outfit was going to do by cutting it to zero. A few more HnadiDart Vehicles would help too.