A day in the life: Para Transpo Operator
Sam behind the wheel of her Para Transpo bus.
At OC Transpo, we are committed to providing transit services that are accessible to everyone.
Para Transpo is a shared-ride, book-in-advance, public transit service. The service is open to customers who are unable to take buses or the O-Train some or all of the time due to a disability.
There are more than 130 operators on the Para Transpo team who provide door-to-door service.
We caught up with Sam who is one of our operators to find out what it’s like to spend a day behind the wheel at Para Transpo.
What’s a typical day for a Para Transpo operator?
Sam starts her day at 4 am. By 5:45 am she’s at the Merivale garage preparing for a full day of helping customers get to their destination.
At the start of her shift, she goes over her list of customer pick-ups and drop-offs. She then performs a safety check of her Para Transpo bus. Her last step is to clean and sanitize her bus.
Her first trip is usually around 6:30 am and her last trip is typically around 4 pm. On average, Sam picks up 16 to 22 customers a day.
“It’s go, go, go all day,” said Sam, who is in her 27th year as a Para Transpo operator.
Whether it be to school, a medical appointment, shopping, church, or work and then safely back home again, Sam takes pride in making sure her customers get to their destination safely and on time.
Para Transpo provides door-to-door service. Operators will help customers board the bus and ensure they are safely prepared for their commute.
Wherever the destination, Sam takes pride in making sure her passengers get to where they need to go.
“Ours passengers are everything to us”
It’s her passengers that keep her going.
“The passengers are just amazing,” said Sam, who shared the importance of customer service.
“We are usually the first line of communication. Some passengers need a lot of care, while others are very independent. They are everything to us. Every (Para Transpo) driver I speak with has a big heart for their passengers.
They are very, very important to us.”
Para Transpo Customer Service Improvements
Para Transpo recently launched My Para Transpo, a self-serve system that allows customers to schedule, cancel, and track their trips online.
Transcript and text description
| Start Time | Transcript | Text description |
| 00:00:00:01 | OC Transpo and Para Transpo Log on screen | |
| 00:00:03:00 | An even better Para Transpo is here. | A bus is driving down the street. |
| 00:00:06:07 | OC Transpo introduces: “My Para Transpo” | A hand with a mobile phone is displayed with the My Para Transpo application |
| 00:00:08:18 | Enjoy independence and confidence with every trip. Booking has never been easier. | A person in a wheelchair and the Para Transpo bus are approaching the bus pick-up location. The Customer looks at the application on their phone. |
| 00:00:12:15 | Book, Cancel Trips | My Para Transpo application logo is displayed on the mobile phone. |
| 00:00:17:16 - | and track your vehicle before it arrives, | My Para Transpo application ride arrival time and map display is displayed on the mobile phone. |
| 00:00:20:11 | on your computer, phone, or tablet: Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android. | A PC, laptop,table & mobile phones are displayed with My Para Transpo logo’s. |
| 00:00:22:15 | An even better Para Transpo is here. My Para Transpo. | Multiple people are panned through in front of a Para Transpo bus. |
| 00:00:27:23 | Try it now: myparatranspo – dot – octranspo – dot- com. | My Para Transpo logo is displayed. |
| 00:00:30:00 | OC Transpo | OC Transpo logo is displayed |
Customers can also now text a customer service representative from 6 am to 12:30 am to find out the estimated time of arrival of their vehicle, to cancel a trip or for general information. Simply text 57272 (or 5PARA) to connect with our customer service team.
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