Rights and Responsibilities

Yellowknife Accessible Transit Service (YATS) wants passengers and drivers to be safe and comfortable during YATS trips. To ensure the safety of those on board and to make sure as many passengers as possible are assisted, the following rights and responsibilities apply.

Passenger Rights

A safe, comfortable ride.
To be treated with courtesy and respect.
To be picked up on time, subject to the limits of safety and road conditions.

Passenger Responsibilities

Treat schedulers, drivers, and other passengers with courtesy and respect.
Ensure that their mobility aid is in proper working order and can be transported safely.
Ensure that the combined weight of the mobility aid and the passenger is not more than 275 kilograms (600 pounds).
Act in a way that does not jeopardize the safety or dignity of other passengers or YATS staff
Pay the proper fare or present their transit punch pass when boarding the YATS vehicles. Riders may be denied service if they do not have their pass or fare.
To give timely reason of late cancellations and no-shows to YATS staff.
Plan and prepare for their travel so as not to inconvenience other riders, so that the number of trips provided by YATS can be maximized. This means:
- having the addresses of their destinations, their appointment times and other necessary information available when making ride reservations.
- providing reasonable access to the external accessible door of their locations. This includes arranging for such things as snow removal on steps, walks and such.
- canceling unwanted trips in accordance with the trip cancellation policy.
- being prepared to leave 15 minutes before their scheduled pick-up time. If assistance is required to prepare for a trip, an individual other than the driver must provide assistance.
Refrain from smoking, eating, or drinking while on YATS vehicles.
Refrain from the use of radios, cassette or disc players, or any other electronic musical device played aloud when onboard YATS vehicles.
Secure any door or lock, as necessary, prior to departing on their trip. If a YATS employee is asked by the passenger to lock or unlock doors or entrance ways, the City of Yellowknife, Yellowknife Transit and Yellowknife City staff, contractors, or contractors' employees will not be held responsible for any consequences.
Supply a child's car seat, if required by a child accompanying the passenger. Passengers or their attendants are responsible for securing it in the vehicle and for its removal.
Not to transport hazardous materials (i.e.: corrosives, flammable liquids, explosives, etc.). Riders who must travel with a portable oxygen unit or service animal should inform the dispatcher at the time the reservation is made.

Driver Rights

To be treated by passengers and other staff with courtesy and respect.
To decline to assist a passenger by lifting the passenger, the mobility aid, or heavy parcels.
To park at a different pick-up or drop-off spot if the designated location cannot be safely accessed.
Drivers can deny service to a passenger if:
- The passenger does not pay the right fare or have a valid pass;
- The driver feels the passenger is a danger to other passengers or the driver

Driver Responsibilities

Provide passengers with a safe and comfortable ride.
Treat passengers and other staff with courtesy and respect.
Follow the schedule, within the limits of safety and road conditions.
Wait at the designated stop for at least five minutes past the actual arrival time.
Keep control of their vehicle at all times. This means:
- Parking the vehicle in safe locations
- Keeping the vehicle in sight at all times.

Rules to Ensure Passenger and Driver Safety

Drivers are not allowed to go beyond the external accessible door and are not allowed to enter a customer's residence for any reason.
Drivers are responsible for all passengers boarding or leaving the vehicle.
Only drivers can operate any of the vehicle equipment including lifts or wheelchair tie-downs.
Drivers will, upon request, escort riders to and from the nearest visible accessible door (see definitions). Drivers must remain within sight of their vehicle at all times. If no accessible door is available, or its location requires the driver to lose sight of the vehicle, then the driver is not obligated to escort the rider to the door, and the rider must arrange for assistance, if required.