Prince George, B.C.-  The HandyDART service  in Prince George, is not being used  as much as it could be.  The BC Seniors Advocate has now launched a province wide survey  on the service  to  find out if  HandyDART  is meeting  the needs of those who are  eligible to use it.

HandyDART is a door-to-door service provided by TransLink, BC Transit, and their service providers for passengers with physical or cognitive disabilities who are unable to use conventional public transit without assistance. The majority of users, approximately 73%, are 65 or older.

“Transportation is identified as a key issue for seniors,” said Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie noting that at age 65, 76% of seniors have an active driver’s license, and that drops to 34% for those over 85. “Clearly we need to ensure a robust transportation system is in place for seniors, most of who are still active, but may no longer be able to drive. HandyDART is part of that system and we need to ask the people who are using the service how well it is meeting their overall transportation needs,” said Mackenzie.

The survey asks a range of questions starting with what people think of the application process, the availability of rides, the cost of the service, as well as overall satisfaction levels. All clients in the Prince George area will be surveyed,  but  only a sampling  of  every other client  from Vancouver Island, the Okanagan and the Lower Mainland will be quizzed.

Results of the survey will help inform the Seniors Advocate’s overall review of seniors’ transportation issues.

“Everyone’s time is valuable but we need to hear from those who are using the service about both what could be improved and what areas are working well” said Mackenzie.