ACCESSIBILITY

Barrie Taxi Ltd. Customer Service Policy Statement

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

1. OUR MISSION

Barrie Taxi Ltd. is committed to being an industry leader in premium taxi service and providing the public it serves with the safest, most professional and courteous service available.  While making use of the latest technologies, Barrie Taxi Ltd. will continuously respond to the vast and ever changing needs of its clients by offering a variety of innovative services in a manner that exceeds expectations.

2. OUR commitment

In fulfilling its mission, Barrie Taxi Ltd. strives at all times to provide its services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Barrie Taxi Ltd. is also committed to giving people with disabilities equal opportunity to access our taxi services and allowing them to benefit from those services in the same or similar manner as other customers.

3.  Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

Barrie Taxi Ltd. is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities and we will accomplish this through:

a.   Communication

  • We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

  • We will train office staff and drivers who communicate with customers on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

b.   Telephone Services

  • Barrie Taxi Ltd. is committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to its customers. Our office staff will be trained to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.

  • We will offer to communicate with customers by offering alternate forms such as e-mail, fax, TTY, or relay services should telephone communication  not  be suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

c.   Assistive Devices

  • We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use, or benefit from our taxi services. We will ensure that our staff and drivers are trained and familiar with the various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our taxi services.

d.   Availability of Documents

  • Barrie Taxi Ltd. is committed to providing documents in accessible formats upon request.

4.  Use of Service Animals and Support Persons

Barrie Taxi Ltd. welcomes people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal to the areas of our premises that are open to the public or when using our taxi services. Barrie Taxi Ltd. staff and drivers will be trained on how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a guide dog or service animal.

  • A ‘guide dog’ is a dog trained as a guide for a person with vision loss and having the qualifications prescribed by the Regulations under the Blind Persons’ Rights Act.

  • An animal is a ‘service animal’ for a person with a disability if it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to their disability or if the person provides a letter from a physician or a nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.

  • In the event that a Barrie Taxi Ltd. driver or staff member is allergic to animals, alternative arrangements  will be provided by assigning the service delivery to a driver or staff member who is not allergic to animals.

  • Barrie Taxi Ltd. welcomes people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person and recognizes a support person as a vital resource to a person with a disability.  Barrie Taxi Ltd. will work with the support person in customizing the delivery of its services to the extent indicated by the person with a disability.  We will also ensure that all staff and drivers are trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person.

  • A ‘support person’ is a person who accompanies a person with a disability to assist with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or with access to goods and/or services.

  • Fees will not be charged for support persons accompanying our passengers.

5.  Notice of Temporary Disruption

Barrie Taxi Ltd. will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption of services. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be posted on our website at www.barrietaxi.com.

6. Training for Staff and Drivers

Barrie Taxi Ltd. will provide training to all employees, drivers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approval of customer service policies, practices and procedures.

 

Training will include the following:

  • The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the Customer Service Standard;

  • How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;

  • How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device;

  • How to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal or a support person;

  • What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Barrie Taxi Ltd. services;

  • Barrie Taxi Ltd. policies, practices and procedures relating to the Customer Service Standard.

  • Applicable staff and drivers will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way taxi services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff and drivers will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures. Records of training provided to staff and drivers, including the training content, the dates on which the training is provided and the number of individuals to whom the training is provided shall be maintained in accordance with the requirements of the AODA.

7. feedback process

The ultimate goal of Barrie Taxi Ltd.is to meet and surpass customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

 

Feedback regarding the way Barrie Taxi Ltd. provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made through our website; by phone to (705) 721-7717 ext. 223; by fax to (705) 721-9005; in person to management at 37 Saunders Road, Barrie, ON.

 

All feedback will be directed to the General Manager, Barrie Taxi Ltd. Responses will be provided within thirty days of receipt.

8. Modifications to this or other Policies

Barrie Taxi Ltd. is committed to developing and maintaining customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities. Any policy of Barrie Taxi Ltd. that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

9. QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS POLICY

This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers with disabilities. If anyone has a question about the policy or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation will be provided by the General Manager, Barrie Taxi Ltd.