Support Person Policy

Policy Statement

The Support Person Policy defines the rules and guidelines for persons travelling on Wheel-Trans with a Support Person.

Scope

The policy applies to all registered customers of Wheel-Trans.

Responsibility

TTC Wheel-Trans staff, including contracted service providers is responsible for following this policy. TTC Wheel-Trans Supervisors and Managers are responsible for ensuring this policy is followed correctly.

Legislative Requirements

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005);

Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation, Ont. Reg. 191/11; and

Ontario Human Rights Code.

Definitions

Support Person as defined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (205) means, in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies the person with a disability in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods, services or facilities. The person with the disability chooses their support person, it does not have to be the same person every time.

Mandatory Support Person is a designation placed on a customer profile that requires the customer to have a support person with them at all times while travelling on Wheel-Trans service for safety purposes.

A Companion is defined as a person, other than the Wheel-Trans customer or support person, who is accompanying the customer during their trip.

Policy

Support Person Assistance Card

1. All persons who wish to travel on the TTC, including  Wheel-Trans, with a support person are required to complete a Support Person Assistance Card application.
2. The administration, application and eligibility for the Support Person Assistance Card is managed by TTC Customer Service and is not administered by Wheel-Trans. Customers may be required to renew their Support Person Assistance Card.
3. Eligibility for Wheel-Trans does not guarantee eligibility for the Support Person Assistance Card.
4. The Support Person Assistance Card is a photo ID card that belongs to the person with the disability. The support person does not have an ID card and may be a different person each time a customer travels.
5. By presenting this card, the person with the disability is permitted one (1) support person to travel with the card holder on the TTC at no additional cost.
6. Any additional support persons will have to pay the appropriate fare.
7. Support Person Assistance Cards are recognized if travelling cross-boundary using specialized transportation in neighboring regions such as York Region, Peel Region, GO Transit and Durham Region. Additional cross-boundary fares are required for the customer and/or any companions.
8. Support persons must be provided by the customer, the TTC does not provide support persons or reimburse for the cost of support persons hired by the customer.

Travelling on Wheel-Trans with your Support Person Assistance Card

1. Customers are required to advise Wheel-Trans that they are travelling with a support person, or any other persons, at the time of booking and if their support person is travelling with a mobility aid.
2. The support person must be travelling to and from the same address as the customer.
3. A customer may have a family member or friend travel with them as their support person; provided that the support person is capable of meeting the needs of the customer such as help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods, services or facilities.
4. A person with a disability is permitted to act as a support person for another person with a disability; provided that the support person is capable of meeting the needs of the customer such as help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods, services or facilities.
5. If the support person is unable to meet the needs of the customer, and/or requires additional level of support for themselves, Wheel-Trans may require the person apply for Wheel-Trans eligibility to become a customer in their own right.
6. Dependent children 12 years of age and younger are not permitted to be a Support Person/Mandatory Support Person

Mandatory Support Person for Wheel-Trans

1. Wheel-Trans understands the impact upon our customers when we require them to travel with a mandatory support person. Therefore, Wheel-Trans strives to only place this requirement under specific circumstances to ensure the safety of all persons on board the vehicle.
2. Customers may be required to have a mandatory support person with them at all times while travelling on Wheel-Trans if they have a verified and documented risk of:
   • Causing harm to themselves or others;
   • Making verbal or physical threat of violence or harm;
   • Exiting the vehicle and wandering;
   • Any other action or behaviour that presents a safety risk.
3. Examples of verified and documented risk include:
   • Documentation provided by the health care professional at the time of application to Wheel-Trans;
   • Documentation provided by TTC staff including operators;
   • Documentation provided through the Wheel-Trans Functional Assessment or Appeals process.
4. Customers, who are required to travel with a mandatory support person, will not be permitted to travel on any Wheel-Trans services unless a capable support person is present and travelling with them.
5. Mandatory support person designations will only be removed from a customer profile if sufficient medical information is provided to Wheel-Trans.

Exceptions

n/a

Related Documents

P-WT-CS-130 Companions Policy