City of Winnipeg report recommends making accessible ride-hailing program permanent

A pilot program focused on quickly getting wheelchair-accessible vehicles to people in need of a ride in Winnipeg could become permanent in the new year. 

A new City of Winnipeg report calls for the Winnipeg wheelchair accessible vehicle program, or Winnipeg WAV, to become permanent starting Jan. 1, 2025, pending a council vote. 

The report, set to be presented at next week's public works committee meeting, says demand for Winnipeg WAV has grown since the program was introduced in 2022.

It was intended to address long wait times for accessible rides, and the report suggests it's largely been successful. Passengers are picked up within 20 minutes of their desired time, or early, in more than 90 per cent of rides, the report says.

Similar to other ride-hailing services, Winnipeg WAV lets users set their pickup and drop-off locations and arrange for a ride from the nearest available vehicle through a mobile app, the city's website or by phone.

The dispatch service also acts as a backup when Winnipeg Transit Plus, the city's door-to-door transportation system for people with disabilities, is booked up.

The city collaborated with multiple taxi companies, including Duffy's Taxi and Unicity, and the Independent Living Resource Centre to make the program work.

Users of the service have said the ability to get an accessible ride without having to call multiple companies, or wait hours for availability, has made a world of a difference, said Grant Heather, the City of Winnipeg's manager of vehicles for hire.

"We've had lots of feedback from customers where they have explicitly said this is life-changing for them," said Heather.

"They're now able to go to Jets games, they're able to go out for dinner with friends and family, or go to parties, go to events, and know that reliably they are going to get home." 

Funding for the program is estimated to be around $800,000 per year and will be funded through the city's vehicle-for-hire accessibility surcharge fund, according to the city report. 

"Transportation is a human right, and this is something … to deliver on these types of programs and have team efforts," said Heather.

"This is kind of what happens when community and government and industry all get together and work and pull in the same direction." 

The public works committee is expected to vote on the proposal to make the program permanent at its Oct. 2 meeting.