Taiwan Disability Transport and Accessible Healthcare

One year ago today, I had my first and only experience with Taiwan disability transport in Zhubei, Taiwan.

I had planned on writing about this topic when it happened. Unfortunately, my life quickly became consumed by other things by this date. Here I am a year later, finally writing about this experience, I hope that other people in Taiwan, especially foreign residents, find it helpful. It is part of my series on Taiwan Disability Inclusion.

On November 10, 2025, I was in a severe inflammatory arthritis flare and dealing with ruptured cysts in both legs. I was facing a full day of medical appointments at the hospital.

For the first time, I had arranged wheelchair-accessible transportation to get there. I’d been instructed to be downstairs in my wheelchair and to wait outside my apartment building. I sat outside looking at a grungy-looking white maintenance van parked outside. It was tiny, and I couldn’t imagine how they expected to fit me and my wheelchair inside! I called my hospital social worker to ask whether this was my ride and told her that if it was, I wasn’t getting in. I’d ask our building guard for help instead.

Thankfully, the actual disability transport van arrived shortly afterward. To my surprise, it was impressive and the driver was so kind. She recognized that I was in distress and switched to broken English to try and make things easier on me.

The disability van was spotless, spacious, and properly equipped to accommodate wheelchair users.

She made sure my chair was locked in place by the brakes. The van-equipped cargo straps that ensured I would not go flying if she had to stop suddenly were locked in. We were off!

The entire journey cost approximately CAD $3, which is remarkable for a specialized transportation service. Unfortunately, my body didn’t appreciate the ride nearly as much as I appreciated the service.

I was already extremely unwell, and the journey made me terribly sick. My heart rate was elevated throughout much of the afternoon, reaching 132 bpm in one of the readings I documented.

When we arrived at the hospital, the driver dropped me at the main entrance. From there, I had to navigate an enormous hospital foyer and make my way down to the blood collection department.

I had severely underestimated how far I’d need to push myself in my wheelchair.

I even filmed part of my struggle to propel myself through the hospital. My arms were exhausted and my shoulders and neck were on fire. I was in considerable pain, and I still had a major blood draw and several appointments ahead of me. By the time the blood work was finished, I was completely wiped out.

Looking back at my Facebook memories, I found a comment I’d written that evening. “It was easily the hardest and longest day I’ve had since Aug 13.”

That says a lot about how difficult my experience was. Furthermore, I had done it completely alone.

But here’s what I want people to understand about disability and accessible transportation.

Accessibility doesn’t begin and end with a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

The transportation service itself was excellent, and I’m grateful Taiwan offered such an affordable option. Having access to a clean, properly equipped van for just $3 was genuinely wonderful.

But getting from home to a medical appointment involves much more than the vehicle. There are pickup arrangements, waiting outdoors, transfers, distances inside buildings, physical exertion, and the reality that many disabled people are already exhausted or in significant pain before their appointments even begin.

For someone with a dynamic disability and multiple chronic illnesses, every stage of that journey can come at a physical cost.

I made it through that day, but it took an enormous amount out of me.

A year later, I’m looking at these photos and videos with a renewed appreciation for just how much determination it took to get myself to the medical care I needed.

Accessible transportation makes independence possible, but truly accessible healthcare means considering the entire journey and not just the ride there.