'Left to fall behind': Smart cards and online booking for Paratransit not expected until next year

Jeff Preston arrives at the LTC on Brydges Street by Paratransit service on Oct. 30, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

The London Transit Commission says smart cards and online booking are set to be launched early next year but couldn’t provide a firm date at its Wednesday meeting.

Accessibility advocate Jeff Preston addressed the commission, outlining the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to meeting standards set by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

He praises a recent increase in municipal funding for Paratransit service, but said London lags behind when it comes to smart cards and online booking.

“Conventional service received smart card readers in I believe 2019. We are now sitting here five years later, and we are just now receiving them on specialized transit. To me, that doesn’t really reflect a service that is trying to ensure accessibility on both sides of the house. It looks more like one side of the house is getting a lot of attention, and the other has been left to fall behind,” Preston told reporters.

Preston said his report card on meeting accessibility requirements follows recommendations adopted last year by city council’s Civic Works Committee.

Jeff Preston speaks to the London Transit Commission on Oct. 30, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

“Because I think of the efforts of many disabled riders in the community, people who have been sending them emails, who have been calling, who have been putting pressure on city councillors to get involved in this issue. And city hall itself saying that they want to see more from the London Transit Commission. I’m really thankful today to say that I think we actually are starting to see that focus being placed on,” said Preston.

LTC Chair Stephanie Marentette said she’s hopeful that smartcards and online booking will be launched early next year but couldn’t offer guarantees.

“We’re hoping to meet that January February rollout. There’s a lot of sort of background stuff that goes on in rolling out a program like that. For example, you know LTC is not the only architect there, we work with a lot of third parties, we don’t have a lot of control over third parties that are directly connected to us in terms of their role, which can slow things down,” explained Marentette.