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City responds to Lift+ transit concerns

Staff defended the city's management of the Lift+ specialized transit service on Monday after a user raised concerns and called for improvements.

THUNDER BAY — Accessibility advocates continue to say improvements are needed to Thunder Bay’s specialized transit service, as city staff responded to user concerns in a report presented to city council on Monday.

The report from city administration acknowledged some challenges, but defended the city’s management of the Lift+ service, which provides on-demand rides to people with disabilities who have mobility challenges.

The document did not suggest any new actions — though staff did promise some improvements with the introduction of new scheduling software next year.

The report was ordered by council in response to concerns raised by Lift+ user Jordan Verner in an August deputation.

At the time, Verner called the service a national embarrassment, telling councillors that users are left scrambling for limited ride availability and often cannot access transportation when needed.

Verner, who is visually impaired, lives in Brantford but uses the service daily for a couple of months each year when he travels to the city to visit his grandmother.

Compared to paratransit services he’s used in cities like Brantford, Hamilton, and Halifax, he believes Thunder Bay is failing its residents.

He said he can book rides fairly reliably two to three days ahead in Brantford, calling that an impossibility here.

It’s the standard he believes Thunder Bay should aim for.

“Obviously that’s nowhere near as luxurious as what automobile owners are able to enjoy … but it’s at least more reasonable,” he said. “It’s at least getting much closer to plan a real-life calendar around the limitations of the service. Thunder Bay is not even close to facilitating that.”

Instead, he said, Lift+ riders compete daily to get through on a phone-in booking line. When the line opens at 8:30 a.m., he said, it’s often luck of the draw to secure a spot a week ahead. He said he wakes up early and uses two phones to improve his chances.

“Not only is it stressful [and] anxiety-inducing — it’s also dehumanizing,” he said, adding the problem is a major reason he feels he cannot live in Thunder Bay.

Anne Antenucci, chair of the city’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, said Verner’s concerns are familiar, echoing what Lift+ users have been saying for years.

“The issues we hear when we sit around the committee table are that it takes way too long to book, that many times there’s people on hold for an entire morning,” she said.

“I think the most embarrassing and concerning thing is this is not a new commentary made by members of the disabled community — this has been going on for years, even when it was still HAGI buses. I don’t know what it’s going to take for it to change, but we keep trying.”

On Monday, city manager Norm Gale presented a report responding to specific points in Verner’s August deputation, including his contention the city needs to expand its 27-vehicle Lift+ fleet.

“Under current circumstances, less than 50 per cent of the fleet is required for peak service needs,” Gale told council. “We do not need more vehicles.”

Lift+, with a current complement of 11 full-time and 16 part-time operators, has been experiencing “significant staffing shortages” due to factors including recruitment challenges, leaves of absence, and workplace accommodations, the report states.

Those staffing shortages “contribute to many of the trip accommodation and scheduling issues,” it also acknowledged.

“Those are the same staffing challenges we face across the corporation in many disciplines, professions, and trades,” Gale said. “We do have difficulties staffing many positions. We are actively recruiting and actively trying to retain operators.”

The report also pointed to user cancellations and no-shows as a contributor to scheduling challenges, noting there had been 2,950 passenger cancellations and 790 no-shows in 2022 as of October.

Staff said they hope the introduction of new scheduling software, expected in late 2023, will accommodate more last-minute bookings and bring other improvements.

Verner said he felt the staff report “largely glazed over” his concerns.

“I didn’t see an action plan in that document,” he said.

Antenucci agreed action is needed.

“I can’t speak to what the city’s budget is or how they should spend it, but definitely we need more drivers, we need more buses," she said. "And we need a better system to contact them.”

However, she added the city deserves credit for making progress on accessibility in other areas, saying the municipal government “very much listens” to her committee.

“We have made drastic changes throughout the city and the region when it comes to accessibility issues,” she said. “They listen to us, they respect us, they come to us, they ask us questions.”

Staff said there wasn't time to consult with the accessibility committee for Monday's report, but promised to discuss the issues with the committee in the New Year.

Coun. Brian Hamilton, who was recently appointed as council’s representative on the accessibility committee, acknowledged user frustration.

Lift+ isn’t unique in facing staffing challenges, he said, and expressed hope the new software will have an impact.

“There is some frustration with the service from both users and staff,” he said in an email. “Driver shortages continue to make an already difficult scheduling system even more complex.”

“I think it’s important for city council to be aware of systemic challenges and the Accessibility Advisory Committee is the appropriate channel for residents to voice concerns.”

Responding to Verner’s deputation in August, Hamilton reported a friend of his had to make 180 phone calls before getting through to book a LIFT+ ride.

Antenucci noted the service will only become more important in the coming years as the city’s population continues to age.

“Let’s nip this in the bud before we have that tidal wave, and let’s get a better system that can help all members of the community participate in day-to-day life and society," she said. "That’s truly the whole point of accessibility.”



Ian Kaufman

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