A taxi service for people in wheelchairs has recently been launched in Lviv. Now they can travel freely in specially equipped cars, and the city will reimburse the fare.
The amount of such compensation for one person is up to UAH 800 per month. The relevant resolution was adopted today at a session of the Lviv City Council.
“The resolution allows people with disabilities who use wheelchairs to use inclusive taxis and receive compensation from the city budget. By this resolution, we include this service in a comprehensive programme of support for such people, and the amount of such compensation is set at no more than UAH 800. That is, a person who uses this service can, based on the results of their trips, submit a package of documents to the city council to receive compensation for using this service.
Currently, three Uklon vehicles provide this service. The number of trips that can be provided during a month is about 450. We know that 46 trips have already been made as of today, so the service is in demand and the city provides additional opportunities and support to those people who can use it,” explained Valentyna Bartoshyk, Director of the Humanitarian Policy Department of Lviv City Council.
The initiative was launched in Lviv on 23 January 2024. The Inclusive Car Class service was launched by Uklon, a Ukrainian online car call service, and OKKO petrol station chain, with the support of the Social Protection Department of Lviv City Council. As of now, 46 passengers have already used the service.
To call an adapted car in the Uklon app, you need to enter the desired route and select the appropriate car class. Rides can be ordered both in Lviv and in the city’s suburbs, within a radius of 20 km.
The Inclusive class cars are equipped with a hydraulic or mechanical lift, a ramp, special seat belts and fasteners for fixing a wheelchair. All trips in the Inclusive class will be carried out by professional drivers who have also been trained in communication and interaction with people with musculoskeletal disorders.
It should be noted that a total of 1321 people with disabilities (including children) who use wheelchairs and 286 people with disabilities who have amputated limbs are registered with the social protection department in the Lviv city territorial community.