New stroller regulation struck down By Jennifer Keiller

When a report was proposed that would force all mothers to fold and stow their strollers before boarding a bus, a dozen angry mothers showed up to protest the policy babies and strollers in tow. On Wednesday morning, it was not only the babies cries heard at City Hall. The mothers won the support of the councillors, and the report was rejected. Vicky Kyriaco-Wilson, manager of transit marketing and customer service, presented the report, which she said came as a result of many, many complaints from OCTranspo riders about overcrowding and issues with bottlenecking. Kyriaco-Wilson said that strollers are a hazard to other riders that seriously restrict movement on the bus. The report said one stroller could be open on a bus at a time, but only if there was no wheelchair on the bus. If a stroller could not be properly folded, it would be up to the bus driver to decide whether to let the mother and child board. Ottawas current policy allows strollers to remain open on buses, but parents are expected to fold and stow strollers if necessary. Kyriaco-Wilson wanted to redefine priority seating as Cooperative Seating, and make the front seat of the bus reserved solely for persons in wheelchairs. The program would have cost $154,000 to replace the current priority seating signs in all buses.

One by one the mothers took the mic to speak against the policy. One mother, Vivian Oger, demonstrated how difficult it can be to fold a stroller while balancing a small child and diaper bag. Do I need to hand my child over to a stranger while I fold my stroller? said Hannah Rogers, mother of a three month-old and a three year-old. Rogers said she takes the bus to do her part in reducing carbon emissions. The report wanted mothers to use fold-up umbrella strollers, which Julie Bixby said are not practical for harsh Ottawa winters. They want us to use these tiny, fold-up strollers, said Bixby. Thats fine in July, but try pushing that in January. Some of the women shared their stories about how transit had impacted their lives. Daiva Greenidge was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago. There were days where just taking care of my child was difficult, she said. Greenidge said she had to rely on public transit to get to doctors appointments, and this new rule would make that harder for many women. She put her toddler, screaming and squirming, onto her lap to show how hard it is for some moms to get their children to sit quietly out of their stroller. Breanne Marvin, Algonquin College student, had her child at 18. She said if passed, this policy would make traveling very difficult for teen mothers. Each day Marvin takes five to nine buses, and said it is public transit that makes her life possible.

 "Being a parent at 18 I could have just said 'I'll give up,' said Marvin. But having the transit system there has helped me a lot to give back to the community and [be] a successful person. The councillors voted to allow strollers to remain in bus aisles, granted they do not interfere greatly with other passengers. Mother Darlene McLeod, however, is not convinced the fight is over. If similar reports are presented in the future, Ill be here again, she said. We need to encourage people to see [mothers with strollers] as normal, and not just as some kind of hassle, McLeod said.

- 30 -