Travelling with guests, mandatory attendants, and children
Travelling with Guests:
Customers are welcome to request trips for themselves and up to one guest. Customers must advise the customer service representative when making the trip request to ensure space on the vehicle is reserved. A guest can be a friend or relative and can be accommodated if there is room in the vehicle.
Guests are required to pay a fare.
Guests must be capable of travelling independently. Transit Plus drivers are not required to assist guests as their focus is assisting registered customers. Requests for guests to travel with mobility equipment are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if this can be accommodated.
Travelling with a Mandatory Attendant
Transit Plus occupational therapists determine the need for a mandatory attendant by obtaining information from the customer and/or their health care provider and/or support persons (if applicable) and by assessing a customer’s abilities as it relates to using Transit Plus.
If a customer is unable to travel safely on their own, or they require assistance that is beyond the responsibilities of a Transit Plus driver to complete a trip, the customer will be required to travel with a mandatory attendant.
A mandatory attendant may be required when a customer;
- cannot safely travel alone based on their cognitive ability,
- poses a risk to themselves or others during travel (e.g. due to a symptom of a medical condition or behavior),
- cannot be left unattended at any time during their trip or at their pick-up or drop-off locations due to safety (e.g. at risk of wandering, requesting inaccurate changes to their trip, or asking to be dropped off at the wrong location),
- is unable to manage unexpected circumstances that may arise during travel (e.g. vehicle breakdown or vehicle accident during transport),
- requires assistance beyond what the driver is required to provide (e.g. with their mobility equipment, transfers during their trip) and,
- requires additional assistance to ensure securement requirements are met (e.g. removing lap trays or blankets that preclude the use of occupant securement system).
A mandatory attendant must accompany the customer for all trips and are not required to pay a fare.
If it is determined that a mandatory attendant is required, the customer must provide the mandatory attendant. The attendant must be capable of providing the support required for the customer.
Mandatory attendants must be capable of travelling independently; Transit Plus drivers are not required to assist individuals acting as attendants, their responsibility is to assist registered customers. Requests for individuals acting as an attendant to travel with mobility equipment are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if this can be accommodated.
Travelling with Children
For a child’s safety Manitoba law requires all children:
- up to 20 kilograms (45 pounds) to be secured in a rear-facing child car seat when in a vehicle
- up to 29 kilograms (65 pounds) to be secured in a forward-facing child car seat
- up to 36 kilograms (80 pounds) to be secured in a booster seat
- can use a vehicle seat belt when they are at least 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) in height and at 36 kilograms (80 pounds) or nine years old
The customer or caregiver travelling with the child must supply the seat and secure it in the vehicle. The child is then seated and buckled up in that seat by the customer or caregiver. When making a trip request, the customer must advise the customer service representative that a child who requires a car seat will be travelling with the customer.
If the customer is not physically capable of handling a safety seat, someone else must be present to assist at the pick-up and drop off locations.
Children 11 and under must be accompanied by a fare paying customer who is 12 years or older and has paid the appropriate fare. Children 11 and under accompanied by a fare paying customer ride for free on Transit Plus.
