The Halifax Regional Municipality and Halifax Transit are inviting residents to join Mayor Mike Savage and Dave Reage, Director of Halifax Transit to celebrate Halifax Transit’s transition to a fully accessible fleet.
When: Thursday, June 8, 2017 at 11 a.m.
Where: Lacewood Transit Terminal at Bus Bay #6 (located next to Canada Games Centre). In case of inclement weather the event will be moved inside the terminal building.
Speakers: Mayor Mike Savage, Director of Halifax Transit Dave Reage, Chair HRM Accessibility Advisory Committee Pat Gates.Event attendees are encouraged to travel by bus, however, if arriving by vehicle, parking is available in the upper parking lot of the Canada Games Centre, adjacent to the Lacewood Transit Terminal.
More residents will now be able to use public transit to commute to work, visit friends and family and travel freely thanks to the municipality now providing its riders who use mobility devices with a fully accessible transit fleet.
“The municipality is proud of the advances we’ve made to make our public transit system more accessible and user friendly,” said Mayor Savage. “This is another important step forward to make sure all residents know they are welcome and will be provided with innovative and modern solutions to make our public transit system an easier choice for all residents.”
The entire fleet of Halifax Transit ferry and bus service is now able to accommodate mobility devices.
“Making sure our transit system is accessible to as many people as possible is an important part of our work,” said Dave Reage, Director of Halifax Transit. “Our passengers now have the confidence that when they use public transit they will have a bus that will meet their needs and provide a quality transit experience.”
Terminal and bus stop accessibility have also undergone improvements including assessable landing pads and ramps at stops and adding signage in larger font with better contrast for visibility. The municipality is also piloting a new wheelchair securement system that will further promote an accessible transit system.
“As a person with disabilities I use accessible transit on a regular basis and were it not for accessible transit, I would not be able to fully participate in my community on a daily basis,” said Pat Gates, Chair HRM Accessibility Advisory Committee. “Our advisory committee has heard the concerns of those who use our transit system, we have listened to them and the result is an accessible transit system that can be used by all with confidence.”
In addition, improvements in audio and visual features means riders can hear onboard and external stop announcements. Visual cues include scrolling text messages that are now displayed on LED screens on board buses.
These changes allow for greater independence of its passengers by providing better visual and audio cues so those with hearing and sight impairments won’t need to rely on drivers or other passengers for information about their journey.
For more information on the Halifax Transit system and its newest features visit www.halifax.ca/transit
.
Source: Media Release