TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING INDEPENDENCE IN CANADA

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects persons with physical and mental disabilities against discrimination in Canada. The Canadian Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in the provision of goods and services, including transportation. Transport Canada's policy on transportation states that accessible transportation is a right, not a privilege. Transport Canada has been working since the late 1970s to guarantee all Canadian citizens access to transportation services, emphasizing the application of appropriate technologies that help to integrate all disabled groups into mainstream activities of society. The concept of complete accessibility is important, and it is necessary to design for the individual rather than for general population. Advances in mobility, information, and communication and control technologies in urban public transportation are discussed. It is concluded that appropriate technologies, although only part of the solution, will go a long way to improving the fit between the individual and the environment. Early consumer involvement is required, as is consistent application across the transportation spectrum. More user-friendly and ergonomically sound designs, in addition to user and operator training and better marketing and dissemination of technologies, are critical to success.