TransLink has announced that 85,500 more HandyDART trips will be available in 2017. For HandyDART customers who rely on the door-to-door service to travel across the region for medical appointments, work, community events, and to visit family and friends, the investment means greater availability when booking trips.
The announcement is part of TransLink’s commitment to deliver on the services outlined in Phase One of the 10-Year Vision for Metro Vancouver Transit and Transportation. Over the next three years, additional investments in HandyDART outlined in Phase One of the Vision will add a total of 171,000 more trips per year, representing a 15 per cent increase in service availability.
TransLink is committed to improving the quality and availability of service for HandyDART customers, which is why a thorough review of policies and service structure began in June 2016 and is ongoing. In addition, HandyDART fares are currently being assessed as a part of TransLink’s Transit Fare Review.
The announcement follows a January launch of SkyTrain and SeaBus improvements to reduce wait times and crowding, which includes:
- An 11 percent increase in passenger capacity during peak periods on the Canada Line
- Extended weekday peak-hour service, and increased mid-day and early evening service on weekends, on the Expo and Millennium Lines
- Doubled SeaBus service on Sundays and holidays to sailings every 15 minutes from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Over the coming weeks and months TransLink will continue to roll out Phase One of the 10-Year Vision, including expanded bus services across the region in April, and work with communities to prioritize improvements to the region’s major roads network to address traffic bottlenecks and congestion. Planning for Phase Two continues with discussions with communities and stakeholders along with designs and early works and public consultations on the Vancouver and Surrey rapid transit projects and discussions with communities and stakeholders.
Phase One of the 10-Year Vision is funded through investments from the federal and provincial governments and regional revenues.
“HandyDART is a lifeline for people who are unable to use our buses and trains — that’s why we prioritized adding more HandyDART services as quickly as possible. It’s a critical service for our region, connecting customers with their communities and helping them get to where they need to go," said Kevin Desmond, CEO, TransLink.
“I’m encouraged by the progress that has been made on reviewing and improving HandyDART services in a short amount of time. Today’s announcement is a positive, necessary step for people who rely on HandyDART to travel around the region, and I look forward to continuing to work with TransLink to discuss options to further improve access to HandyDART services," said Tim Louis, co-chair, HandyDART Riders’ Alliance.
