By: Patti Ellis
Transportation presents significant challenges for people living with sight loss in Canadian cities. Navigating public transit, heavy traffic, defective audible pedestrian signals and broken sidewalks can be frustrating, but it remains possible. For people who live in a rural setting, it is an entirely different story.
I live in a rural community comprised of three villages, surrounded by farms and properties, strung together by mostly gravel roads lined by deep ditches. The local government recently introduced a bus route to travel between the three communities, considering this initiative a step forward in creating accessibility and inclusion. Unfortunately, it did not solve anything for those of us who live many kilometres away from the stops. The only other option we have is a small taxi company serving the area, with an average cost of $60 per one-way trip, as well as one Uber driver. These examples highlight how, in a rural community, you often can’t get where you need to go without a vehicle.
Years ago, I tried to make a change by joining the town’s accessibility advisory committee and quickly found out that they had zero budget. When I recently contacted the current advisory committee, they were unhelpful, suggesting that I should depend on family and friends. Those of us who live with vision loss know that family relationships can be stressful enough without one member feeling obligated to another. It can also be awkward to depend on friends who must drive many miles out of their way to take you to a meeting or an appointment. Fortunately, I have a few very good friends who don’t mind giving me a lift. Even so, I find the lack of independence disheartening.
That’s why I leapt at the chance to join CNIB’s Rural Transportation Strategy Advisory Committee. This initiative brought people together from across Canada to create a toolkit to assist people who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision in promoting changes in their communities.
I was shocked by the challenges others faced, like having to drive three hours to simply reach a grocery store. It was heartening to realize that we all had similar struggles with rural transportation, and that we were going to work together on something that could be accessed by people who live in rural communities.
The Rural Transit Advocacy toolkit includes many suggestions, such as combining forces with other community groups that share similar challenges and increasing our collective power, which is crucial to changing the status quo. The kit also contains template letters, practical tips, and instructions for creating a successful Town Hall or preparing a delegation to the town Council. It is my sincere hope that with the help of this toolkit and perhaps a little bravery, we who live in rural communities can make transportation more accessible for everyone.
To access the toolkit, visit the CNIB’s Rural Transit Advocacy webpage.