Sask. bus company ordered to make changes after human rights complaint

After nearly three years, a Saskatchewan bus company has been ordered to make their buses wheelchair accessible.

The Canadian Transportation Association (CTA) has ordered Rider Express to make the changes to their buses after Terri Sleeva, a quadriplegic disabilities advocate, filed a human rights complaint in 2018 after the bus company said they could not transport her.

Sleeva said she was only trying to get to Saskatoon for a meeting and that the lack of a bus she could ride forced her to cancel.

“Going from Regina to Saskatoon taking a cab is over $500,” Sleeva said. “What person on disability can afford that?

“Going home for Christmas, going to a funeral or going to a wedding, all of that has been taken away from people with disabilities. All they had to do is purchase a wheelchair accessible bus and we wouldn’t be at this point.”

Multiple sclerosis made the 64-year-old Sleeva a quadriplegic nearly 20 years ago. In that time, she has became a strong advocate for human rights and disability issues for people in the Regina region.

She says transportation around the province became an increased struggle after the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) was shut down in 2017.

“After the STC shut down so many older people I know could no longer visit each other if they live in different cities,” Sleeva said. “The disability community, everybody, is fighting with me. There are so many people that finally were able to say, ‘Hey we are being listened to.'”

“This has taken long enough.”

Sleeva hopes the ruling is a step in the right direction in making the province more disability friendly.

“We’re all people and who knows, one day you may be in a wheelchair, and what would you do?” she said. “I’m very grateful for the decision that was made.

“It’s a start.”

The CTA has ordered that Rider Express must either fix the situation or at least make some plans by June 10.

We reached out to the company for a response. They said no one was available at the moment to speak on the ruling, but they did say that they are ‘aware’ of the decision.

Rider Express was founded in 2017 in Regina. They are the only bus company that goes from Regina to Saskatoon.