AODA Integrated Standards: Transportation (Pt. 3)

This is the final blog in our three-part series about the new AODA Integrated Standards coming into effect in 2013. The first blog covered the Information and Communications portion and the second blog covered the Employment portion. Today we’re looking at Transportation. Although this might not affect as many companies as the other two standards, we still feel it’s important to keep employers informed. 

Staying consistent with the goal of the AODA - to make Ontario fully accessible by 2025 - the goal of the Accessibility Standard for Transportation is to make it easier for everyone to travel in Ontario.

The standard applies to:

• Conventional transportation services – Example: Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)
• Specialized transportation services – Example: TTC’s Wheel-Trans
• Municipalities with specific requirements for those that license taxicabs or provide conventional transportation services
• Certain ferries
• Other transportation services – Example: Public school boards that provide transportation services, hospitals and colleges/universities who provide transportation services (shuttle buses)

The requirements of this standard are comprehensive. Some of the requirements went into effect in 2011. The other requirements are being phased in between now and 2017. To find out what you what you have to do to comply with Ontario's accessibility law follow the AODA Compliance Wizard.

This standard is substantially more limited in its scope and generally applies to organizations providing transportation to the general public.  Some of the requirements are similar to the general requirements expected for other parts of this legislation.  Namely that organizations should implement a policy, make information accessible to the public in terms of any equipment or policies the organization may have or provide and finally train staff to ensure they are aware of the expectations.

The requirements also include making sure that any courtesy seating if available is clearly marked and not charging higher that the regular fare to people with disabilities.   There are quite a few technical requirements for those organizations offering conventional transportation services along with simple things like providing verbal and visual announcements of routes and stops.

You can find out more about the Accessibility Standard for Transportation by reading the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation 191/11, or attending our AODA session on February 7, 2013.

To register for this session, or get assistance with regard to the AODA and its requirements from one of our knowledgeable consultants you can go to our website.

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