Stephen Vance, Staff
Meaford council voted in favour of four staff recommendations at their July 4 meeting that could see Meaford’s Handi-van service transformed and expanded in order to better serve the transportation needs of the urban area of the municipality.
For many years the municipality has offered its Handi-van service as a specialized transit service, which the service delivery review report from staff says differs significantly from conventional transit service.
“Although both specialized and conventional services would use fully accessible fleet which would allow passengers with mobility issues to access the vehicle, specialized services are considered an advanced booking door-to-door service whereas conventional services are standard route–based with designated bus stops,” informed the report.
Meaford’s Handi-van currently operates from Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm September to June, and 8am to 4pm July and August. Passengers who want to use the service must apply for ridership based on criteria which are mostly mobility related.The contractor operates a call centre which books advance appointments for those on the registered passenger list.
“As such, the Municipality is charged two different contract rates, one when the bus is operational and one when it is on standby. As well, the Municipality has entered into a contract with Blue Water District School Board (BWDSB) to provide service to students with specialized needs to transport them to/from school on a daily basis,” said municipal Treasurer Darcy Chapman in his report to council.
Chapman told council that the Handi-van currently serves roughly 350 registered users. In 2015, the Handi-van accommodated 4,449 trips: of those, 107 were wheelchair users, 2,532 were for general mobility issues, and 1,790 were relating to the school board contract.
“The 2016 Handi-van annual operating budget was $95,750, with total operating revenues of approximately $22,500. The operating subsidy is provided partially through (provincial) Gas Tax funds with the majority provided by the Municipality, and in 2016 is expected to be approximately $67,250, or approximately $15.12 per passenger trip should the ridership remain similar to 2015,” noted Chapman in his report.
Nearly 95 percent of all trips in the Handi-van are within the urban core from the Valu-mart plaza in the east and the medical clinic in the west.
Chapman told council that the service delivery review initiative that got underway last month has identified a need to expand the service in order to better serve urban area residents who don’t drive.
The four recommendations approved by council are as follows:
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Provide 90 days notice under the existing agreement to the Bluewater District School Board that the Municipality of Meaford will cease to offer specialized bus service to students.
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Develop a fixed route conventional transit system in tandem with specialized transit offerings on a one year pilot program commencing in August 2016 or as early as feasible incorporating a fee increase to $4.00 per trip (currently $2.00).
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Meet with local taxi companies to investigate partnerships to offer a taxi-scrip program to be implemented no sooner than January 2017.
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Continue to investigate a conventional transit system partnership with the City of Owen Sound and Town of The Blue Mountains incorporating two distinct routes linking urban Meaford with Blue Mountain Village via Thornbury and urban Meaford with Owen Sound on an 18 month pilot program commencing no earlier than mid-2017.
Chapman told council that expansion of the service within the municipality would help ease the frustration that urban area residents who don’t drive are experiencing with the upcoming closure of the downtown Foodland grocery store, Chapman told council. Exploring the potential for transportation routes from Meaford to Owen Sound and from Meaford to The Blue Mountains could help Meaford residents gain access to job opportunities in those larger communities, and it would also be of value for those with medical or other appointments in those areas.
Deputy Mayor Harley Greenfield agreed.
“Access to Grey Bruce Regional Hospital and Georgian College from this area I think is essential. I definitely endorse that,” said Greenfield. “And having worked at Georgian Peaks (ski resort) for the last nine winters, they employ 345 people in the winter. And as an example, of 14 lift attendants, I can think of four who live in the Meaford area. And every year at orientation we hear about transportation problems: ‘I want a job for three months, but I don’t have transportation’, so it is a factor.”
Municipal staff will report back to council at a later date about the feasibility of expanding public transit service to the Owen Sound and Blue Mountains communities.
