Accessible Service – People in Wheelchairs

Do you use a wheelchair? The Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) has buses with an acess ramp that can be deployed at the accessible stops on all regular bus routes. 

An even more accessible bus system

To address the increased demand and in compliance with our 2017-2026 Strategic Plan that centres our decisions and actions around our customers, as well as our 2021-2025 Accessibility Plan that aims to introduce a series of measures to promote accessibility on the regular system, the STO is enhancing its accessible service. Consult the news release (in French only) summarizing the improvements and initiatives introduced over the past year.

In addition to benefitting from guaranteed accessible routes, riders in wheelchairs will now be able to board a bus anywhere in the system and no longer just on guaranteed accessible routes, as long as the bus is equipped with an access ramp AND the stop is accessible.  

This means:

• More freedom of movement;
• The possibility of travelling by bus in a wheelchair throughout the City of Gatineau;
• Access, on public transit, to more public places, restaurants, stores, etc.

To learn more:

• Taking the bus with a wheelchair and conditions for travelling
• Accessible service in the bus system
• Service on guaranteed accessibles routes
• Accessible buses and stops
• Compliant wheelchair size
• Service on buses without an access ramp
• Travelling on OC Transpo
• Paratransit Service
• Other useful information

It is now possible to travel in a wheelchair on all bus routes in the system, if both conditions below are met:

• The bus has an access ramp (274 buses, or 72%, have an access ramp)

             AND

• The stop is identified as accessible (45% of the system's stops are meeting accessibility standards).

See How to identify accessible stops and buses.

However, it is the rider's responsibility to verify that the trip is provided by a bus with an access ramp and to ensure that the desired stops for getting on AND off are accessible.

Should a stop for getting on OR off the bus not be accessible, riders who are already eligible for paratransit could consider making part of the trip using this service.

Accessible stops for people in a wheelchair

Planning trips and identifying accessible stops

It is important to ensure that your stops to and from your destination are accessible, because the access ramp can be deployed only at these accessible stops.

Accessible bus stops are identified by the wheelchair symbol. An icon beside a specific route means that this is a guaranteed accessible route.

You can plan a trip on a guaranteed accessible route with Plani-Bus. The Transit app also indicates which stops and trip are accessible. 

Criteria for accessible bus stops 

The accessible stops for people in wheelchairs were determined according to specific safety criteria, in particular, including a sidewalk with a minimum height of 12.5 cm and a width of 140 cm, the presence of a BOAT pavement nearby and the absence of obstacles on the sidewalk (post, grass strip, lamppost, etc.)

Of the 1785 bus stops, 945 are identified accessible, which represents 53 % of all stops.

Travelling in winter

Although the STO intends to offer access ramp service throughout the year, it may happen that service may not be possible at some accessible stops due to the presence of snow or ice.