HandyDART Riders in Victoria Say Booking Rides Has Become Nearly Impossible

Booking a HandyDART ride in Greater Victoria has become a daily source of stress for many users who rely on the door-to-door bus service for everything from medical appointments to social outings.

HandyDART serves people in B.C. who cannot use conventional public transit due to disability or mobility issues. In the capital region, rides must be booked by phone — there’s no online option — and ideally two weeks in advance. But recently, even those with regular weekly needs are being told the system has no rides available.

“It’s just overwhelming,” said Marilyn Wolovick, a senior who tracks her activities in a spreadsheet and calls daily to try to book two weeks ahead. Lately, after spending up to 30 minutes on hold, she's still coming up empty.

Wolovick says she was told rides were limited — a claim echoed by others who say the HandyDART service feels like it's quietly being reduced.

Nancy Dombay, whose teenage son Isaac uses the service to attend school, said her daily efforts to book his rides are now met with more rejections. She said she’s heard from drivers that service is being cut — a worry for families like hers already managing the demands of special needs care.

“We already have a stressful life,” she said. “The last thing we need is more stress.”

BC Transit: "Not a Service Cut"

In response to questions from CBC News, BC Transit said there have been no cuts to HandyDART service, calling the situation a “misunderstanding.”

But in a follow-up statement, a spokesperson did acknowledge that fewer ride hours are currently available compared to earlier this year. They attributed this to a surplus of hours at the end of the previous fiscal year that have now been used, combined with an increase in rider registration.

“We acknowledge the frustrations this is causing,” read a written statement, adding that BC Transit will work to improve communication with its contracted operators and the public going forward.

Despite the clarification, many riders say the result is the same: fewer rides when they need them.

Equity Concerns

For Craig McKinnon, who uses HandyDART to travel to work and medical appointments, the core issue is one of equity. While public transit users have access to online trip planning and electronic fare payment, HandyDART remains phone-only and disconnected from broader system upgrades.

“This isn’t a luxury, it’s a lifeline,” he said.

McKinnon has spent years advocating for HandyDART to be included in BC Transit’s modernization efforts. “It needs to be treated as a fundamental part of the transit system — not an afterthought,” he said.

Despite reassurances from BC Transit, many riders say the system feels harder to access — and their concerns, harder to hear.