Accessible transit coming to Stayner
Clearview Township staff are working on Terms of Reference for an Accessible Transit Service to be operated in cooperation with the towns of Collingwood and Wasaga Beach. Dan Perreault, Deputy Director of Public Works says if all goes according to plan, the new service will launch on a limited basis by September 1.
Perreault says the service will be operated under contract by Landmark Transportation, the same company that operates existing Clearview Transit services. Initially, Accessible Transit will be offered only within the existing Stayner service area, but will operate door to door for those who cannot physically make it to a conventional transit stop. Access for Ontarians with Disabilities legislation prohibits charging more than conventional transit for accessible services, so the current fee for riders will be $2 per trip. The actual cost of the service will be $44.59/hour in year one, rising to $49.22/hour by year five, with the municipality funding the shortfall.
Riders will need to qualify for the service and will be issued cards to verify eligibility. Those with long term mobility issues will be given permanent status. Temporary access will be available for people recovering from surgery, accidents or illness. Short termpasses will be used to accommodate visitors with special needs. In most cases, a doctor’s note will be required to verify eligibility.
The accessible service will operate on the same schedule as existing Clearview Transit service Monday to Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the exception of some holidays. Landmark will set up a dedicated line to booktrips with three days advance notice required.
Perreault says the service will be reviewed during next year’s budget deliberations to determine the feasibility of expanding to a larger service area.
