Seniors in Manitoba rely on minibuses or handivans for transportation. Justin Cicholski, the manager of a non-profit handivan service in Neepawa, emphasizes the importance of these services for seniors who use wheelchairs or walkers. Unfortunately, a tragic accident occurred when a handibus carrying 15 people on a day trip to a casino crashed with a semi-trailer truck near Carberry, resulting in the loss of lives. Cicholski, along with Greg Shaw, a driver for the Neepawa company, express concern about the intersection where the accident took place and suggest installing a traffic light there. Shaw also emphasizes the safety measures implemented on the buses, such as securing passengers and ensuring seatbelts and wheelchairs are properly fastened.
In Manitoba, drivers operating buses require a Class 2 driver’s license, and minibuses must have liability insurance of $2 million. Although the exact number of registered minibuses is unknown, safety precautions are paramount for drivers like Shaw. In small communities like Neepawa, drivers and passengers often have a personal relationship due to their tight-knit nature. Cicholski mentions hiring retired people in their 60s as drivers to connect better with the senior passengers and create an enjoyable atmosphere during trips.
Quality Care Transit, the company responsible for organizing the ill-fated trip to the casino, extends its condolences through a Facebook post. It is revealed that Quality Care had launched in November 2022. Many rural areas have their own accessible transit systems, either run by local municipalities or private owners. Dauphin and District Handivan Service, for instance, has been operating for over 38 years and has four vans in operation.
Cicholski expresses sympathy for the families affected by the bus crash and announces immediate changes in his bus company’s policies, including the registration of emergency contacts for all passengers in case of accidents. Although he hopes such incidents never occur, having a comprehensive list of everyone on board will be useful if a situation does arise.