Mario Gives Up the Kart for Public Transit 

75-year-old Mario Gregorio of Burnaby, BC, opts for public transit instead of a car to get around.

Mario is an accessibility advocate and sits on the Transit Users’ Advisory Committee (TUAC) at TransLink to advise on improvements to the public transportation network. 

“Transportation is the key link for people to be mobile, to move around, and more and more, studies have shown that people who move around live longer. Socializing is part of getting a better life for seniors, so we need to make mobility easier for them,” Mario says.

“We have so many high-rises and we need to bring people down to the street level and socialize with other people and make public spaces available to them through public transportation, because most of them no longer drive.” 

Mario travels around with a travel tag attached to his backpack that reads “please offer me a seat” with the disability logo. He says many transit users are receptive to his subtle request.

Collectively, the group is advocating for improved signage in elevators to make it easier for people of diverse multi-ethnic backgrounds to navigate the transit system, more accessible ramps, and making buses easier to use for the blind and hearing impaired. 

Mario says it’s particularly important for people with disabilities to be able to easily use the transit network to stay connected to their community: improving mental health and well-being.

Thank you, Mario, for sharing your story and helping seniors stay active, connected and engaged! 

Link to Mario’s poster: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:e75da214-3c84-4b56-8700-a91430c329fe