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Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Currently only one mobility scooter is allowed to be tied down on a train, all others have to be dismantled and/or stowed

2 comments:

Robert Wightman said...

Unfortunately the design of VIA's archaic equipment means that they have to remove at least one pair of seats for every tie down they put in for a wheelchair or scooter. In peak season this would "rob" them on at least two high priced fares which they don't want to lose. This problem will not be solved satisfactorily until VIA gets some modern equipment.

It seems counter-intuitive but its best equipment is its oldest and its worst is the newest. All its equipment should have be replaced long ago but no federal government wants to give them the capital so VIA limps along like and unwanted child.

GO with its accessibility coaches can handle a number of wheelchairs or scooters and can certainly load and unload faster with its low floors. While the current GO cars are not suited for intercity travel they could be built with reclining seating instead of the quads and baggage racks near the doors. Until some level of government is willing to invest in intercity rail travel VIA will limp along until its current rolling stock is band because it is unsafe.

Robert Wightman
President, Transport Action Ontario

Skin Man said...

Just wondering, what does multi-city mean? Go is multi-city on all its lines. Perhaps a better description is needed for like multi-regional, (although that's not really much better), or multi-provincial?

Just a thought.