As of October 1, 2024, Odessa is home to 63,000 individuals with disabilities, including over 4,500 with mobility impairments, 5,229 children with disabilities, and nearly 1,000 individuals with visual impairments.
To create favorable conditions for barrier-free movement for individuals with mobility impairments and visually impaired individuals of groups I and II, as well as children with disabilities, the Odessa City Council has implemented a new social service called «Social Taxi».
This service will be provided free of charge and will be an important step towards ensuring equal opportunities for all residents of Odessa.
As noted by Elena Kytainska, the Director of the Department of Labor and Social Policy, a vehicle can be ordered by calling the short number 15-01 three days prior to the trip. The service can be used up to 10 times per month.
«At the launch of this important project, we have 6 vehicles equipped for transporting individuals with disabilities. These include 2 cars purchased through the city program, 2 vehicles from our partners in Regensburg, and 2 vehicles from our partners, the public organization "Barrier-Free", with whom we have signed a Memorandum,» said Gennady Trukhanov.
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The «Social Taxi» service is available for travel within the city of Odessa from the place of residence to local government bodies and their executive authorities, state executive authorities, courts, healthcare facilities, rehabilitation centers, banks, social, cultural, and educational institutions, prosthetic-orthopedic enterprises, and railway stations, and vice versa (if necessary) on weekdays from 08:30 to 17:30. The waiting time for a special vehicle returning should not exceed 2 hours. Cancellations must be reported no later than 2 hours before the scheduled time. If the service is declined after the special vehicle has arrived at the pick-up location, the service will be considered used.
Note
The transport service for citizens suffering from chronic kidney failure for transportation to hemodialysis appointments is provided by the Municipal Institution «Emergency Medical Care Center» upon request from the family doctor.
