Commuting by wheelchair in Ottawa

AnaLori Smith says the commute is particularly challenging for people with disabilities, who have to contend with snow and the cumbersome Para Transpo system to get to work on time. 

CBC Ottawa joined her on her morning commute to hear her perspective. Her remarks have been edited for clarity.

I'm 32 years old and I've been working for the federal government for almost three months.

I use a wheelchair and during the summer months that's how I get around. I'll use that to get directly to work, and it takes about 20 minutes, door to door.

But during the winter, I mostly use Para Transpo to commute. And it can sometimes take more than an hour, even though it's only 1.5 kilometres away.

The way Para Transpo works on a casual basis is you have to plan everything 24 hours in advance. So that's a little frustrating, especially if you're a young professional with a more flexible working arrangement, or you want to be spontaneous in any way.

But my schedule is always 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., so I book all of my Para Transpo trips far in advance.

Here's what happens each morning. I get up at 7 a.m., and my trip is booked for 8 a.m. I get dressed, go down to the lobby of my building, and wait.

It gets frustrating because Para Transpo isn't all that reliable, even if you book in advance. I wait anywhere from half an hour to more than an hour, depending on the day.

Really, it's a compound issue. Part of it is the fact that it's winter and the sidewalks aren't clear. At least if the sidewalks were done, I would think, "Oh, maybe if [Para Transpo] is really late, I could at least take the city bus. The [kneeling] buses — that wouldn't be such a terrible commute."

But the reality is that the sidewalks are often impassable for me, and I have no choice but to wait.

Then, when I do arrive downtown, there's another detour because of the curb cuts (the small ramps in the sidewalk that allow a wheelchair to access it).

I have to ask the driver to stop around the corner from my office, at a spot where I can get on the sidewalk and there's room for the Para Transpo vehicle to pull over. 

Add it all together, and I've had several situations where I've had to call my boss at 9 a.m. and tell her that I'm going to be late.

In previous employment experiences, it has also been a challenge. In fact, that's partly why I now have a job working on accessibility issues for the government — a job where they are generally pretty understanding about this. 

As somebody with cerebral palsy, just waiting for the bus an extra two hours day after day gives you fatigue. By the end of the day, once you've done all your trips, you're quite exhausted.

In the winter, I focus on my commute to and from work and have family and friends help with groceries or banking. 

It's difficult enough having a disability and holding down a job and trying to make sure that people see you as reliable.

It's even harder when your commute is very unreliable.

This is part of CBC Ottawa's special series Nowhere Fast, a look at how and why people commute in the capital region. 

We'll be looking at the people, numbers and stories that are part of your daily trip to and from work.