Calgary Transit Access computer glitch left special needs children in Calgary stranded

A new software upgrade to a service 15,000 Calgarians depend on caused a widespread failure over the weekend.

Calgary Transit Access launched a new system, but instead of improving the scheduling it resulted in missed pickups and delayed drop-offs. There was a lot of disappointment over what Calgary Transit Access is calling a glitch.

Patricia Wheatley said the computer hiccup caused turmoil for her family, whose three children count on the program.

“It was very clear the system was in crisis and yet nobody was treating it like it was a crisis,” she said. “When you have disabled people—children or adults with varying degrees of fragility—and they’re being stranded in the rain, that is ridiculous.”

According to Calgary Transit Access spokesperson Sherri Zickefoose, the system upgrade delays led to a much higher volume in calls, making it difficult for people to get through. Extra staff was called in to help the dispatchers catch up on the backlog.

Wheatley said the technical issues meant two of her daughters waited nearly two-and-a-half hours past their scheduled pickup for their day program. She said she couldn’t even get through the main line for an explanation.

“If Calgary Transit went down and busses were late and busses were missing and people weren’t getting to work, an uproar would have happened. But nobody was interested. “

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The system upgrade will soon allow clients to book online and receive alerts on their mobile devices indicating when their ride will be arriving.