OKKO fuel station network and Ukrainian online taxi service Uklon have launched the "Inclusive" class of cars, which is now available in Lviv and its 20 km suburbs radius. Therefore, passengers using a wheelchair would be able to use specially equipped cars.
In particular, OKKO company allocated funds for the purchase of three specialized vehicles, and will also provide them with fuel throughout the year.
"According to the statistics of the Ministry of Social Policy, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the number of Ukrainians with disabilities has increased by 300,000. And, unfortunately, this is not the final figure. We must already create conditions for our people so that they can lead an active social life. To move around the streets, in buildings, use transport without barriers. So, for example, all of our newly built fuel stations or those that were renovated this year, were designed taking into account the needs of people with limited mobility. And these are toilets, parking lots, and free of curbs areas. We have done it before, but this year we began to pay the maximum attention on this question, - COMMENTS VASYL DMYTRIV, OKKO’s MARKETING VICE PRESIDENT. - So, when colleagues from Uklon contacted us with an offer to support a project in Lviv, we joined without hesitation. After all, it is a useful idea, and it is also a logical continuation of our social responsibility program."
Cars of "Inclusive" class are equipped with a hydraulic or mechanical lift, a ramp, special safety belts and fasteners to fix a wheelchair. To hail an adapted car, you need to enter UKLON application, choose the desired route and select the appropriate class. Trips can be ordered both directly in Lviv and in the suburbs of the city - within a radius of up to 20 kilometers.
"The first six months of "Inclusive" class operation demonstrated* that this service is on high level of demand. We managed to create a comfortable and accessible way of urban movement for people using wheelchairs. We are very grateful to our partner "OKKO" who decided to support us in this initiative. Lviv is our first step towards scaling the project across the regions of Ukraine. We create comfort for everyone: inclusive, convenient and simple," NOTED SERHII SMUS, CO-FOUNDER OF UKLON.
All cars trips of "Inclusive" class are performed by professional drivers who received training from dostupno.ua on communication and interaction with people with musculoskeletal disorders. In addition to the transport service, if such a passenger is traveling alone, the driver will help with luggage or personal belongings. Uklon service already has successful experience of implementing such a project in Kyiv, and Lviv will be the second city in Ukraine where it is deployed.
Initiative of OKKO and Uklon was also supported by the Lviv City Hall, which is developing a mechanism of fares compensating for users of this service.
* We remind, that Uklon company launched “Inclusive” car class in Kyiv and its suburbs in April 2023, with support of Mastercard and MacPaw. Since then, users have made more than 5,000 trips.
The project was also supported by the Ukrainian Veterans Fund of the Ministry of Veterans, a partner of the company among veterans and their families, and NGO "Bezbarernyst", an executive partner of initiative of the first lady Olena Zelenska to create an All-Ukrainian mental health program and initiative of "Bezbarernyst", aimed to create equal opportunities for all Ukrainians.