The Canadian Transportation Agency Launches a New Resource Tool for the Carriage of Mobility Aids

OTTAWA, June 1, 2012 /CNW/ - The Canadian Transportation Agency today launched its new Carriage of Mobility Aids Resource Tool for air, rail and interprovincial ferry carriers to assist travellers, travel agents and transportation service providers in the planning of and preparation for travel involving mobility aids.

Over the last decade, there has been a marked increase in the frequency of use and in the size of some types of mobility aids. Carriage of mobility aids is an essential part of any mobility aid user's travel, and requires extra planning and preparation.

This Resource Tool combines new information to assist travellers, travel agents and transportation service providers alike. In addition, it introduces a new reservation checklist that can facilitate the planning of carriage of mobility aids.

"Safe, efficient and consistent carriage of mobility aids has always been important," said Geoff Hare, Chair and CEO of the Canadian Transportation Agency. "This one-stop-shop resource will enhance mobility aids users' awareness when planning travel, while assisting service providers in improving passenger travel experience."

The Resource Tool can be accessed in multiple formats through the Canadian Transportation Agency's website.

The Agency has the mandate to eliminate undue obstacles to the mobility of persons with disabilities in the federal transportation network and ensures that they have equal access to transportation services and are provided with services that meet their disability-related needs.

Transportation carriers are guided by the Canadian Transportation Agency's accessibility regulations and voluntary codes of practice, which help ensure that Canada's federal transportation network is accessible to persons with disabilities.

About the Canadian Transportation Agency

The Canadian Transportation Agency is an independent administrative body of the Government of Canada. It performs two key functions within the federal transportation system:

• As a quasi-judicial tribunal, the Agency, informally and through formal adjudication, resolves a range of commercial and consumer transportation-related disputes, including accessibility issues for persons with disabilities. It operates like a court when adjudicating disputes.
• As an economic regulator, the Agency makes determinations and issues authorities, licences and permits to transportation carriers under federal jurisdiction.

For more information on the Agency's Carriage of Mobility Aids Resource Tool, please see http://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/publication/carriage-mobility-aids-planes-trains-ferries.

For more travel information for persons with disabilities, consult the Take Charge of Your Travel guide.

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