Karen Larsen relies on the Access-A-Bus to get around Halifax. (CBC)

People with disabilities are hoping the transit strike ends soon so they can get their lifeline to the city back.

The strike by the Halifax Regional Municipality's transit workers began early Thursday. There is no bus or ferry service, which means the Access-A-Bus program is off too.

Mary-Anne Jones relies on the Access-A-Bus to take her from her home at the Northwood complex to her appointments.

"If I was to have a medical appointment during this period of time it would probably have to be cancelled. And just basically I think there's a basic upheaval of daily life," Jones told CBC News.

Karen Larsen remembers the last transit strike in 1998 when buses were off the road for five weeks. She doesn't want this one to drag on.

"I'm pretty well housebound and can't really do too much," she said.

There aren’t many travel options for people in wheelchairs.

Darrell Robar, with the Canadian Paraplegic Association of Nova Scotia, said wheelchairs and scooters are often too big to fit in taxis.

"There are alternatives like accessible cabs and some private services that are here in the city … but they're very expensive and many people with disabilities don't have those financial resources available to them," Robar said.

Metro Transit is providing shuttle service for registered Access-A-Bus users who need to get to their dialysis appointments.

For the others, they will have to wait for the strike to end.

Larsen has a message for the transit workers who are on the picket line:

"I don't really feel for you right now because you have two feet and a heartbeat. We don't have two feet and a heartbeat. We have four wheels and if those four wheels go out from under us, we're done," she said.

The Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents the bus and ferry workers, say the strike is about keeping flexibility in scheduling.