During the reports from committees part of the General Committee meeting on September 27, Active Transportation and Public Transit Committee Chair Bob Stone told fellow councillors that the Town has received a $269,000 grant for buses.
He said staff is investigating the addition of two new buses, “which would allow us to expand routes and potentially we could expand the hours in which we operate,” said Stone, adding that work is on the way and there will hopefully be an announcement related to the initiative next spring.
Stone also said staff are looking at putting bike racks on the public transit buses and throughout the town, which will be part of the 2024 daft budget, although Councillor Jason FitzGerald noted that community organizations may want to get involved and donate them.
Stone also spoke of cars parking in active transportation lanes between the high school and Town Line. “So working with the District, we’re going to be putting up some no parking signs and some sharrows to ensure that pedestrians and bikes can travel safely in that area.”
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I sure hope they will be fully electric buses, rather than locking in dependency on gas and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) for the next 10 years for another 2 town-owned internal combustion vehicles. This is the future of transport in Muskoka and everywhere else and fits with the Town’s self-declared mandate to reduce GHG emissions 50% by 2030. Lion Electric Co is a Canadian electric bus manufacturer supply countries around the world! https://thelionelectric.com/en/products/electric
FYI Hammond Transport has ordered 10 electric buses.
As 50 year old who can’t drive (epilepsy) I have been waiting for this to happen. 2 hour buses just don’t work when trying to shop for groceries or working. I was working at 10 am the timing was terrible it arrived near my work at 10.18am or two hours later or two hours earlier. If you can’t drive I would use this service, regularly (I have missed the bus with two under 5’s ). I really really support the buses, but just don’t use them. If anyone wonders these are brilliant, I hope it goes ahead soon!!!!!!! Thanks!!!!! 💙 😊
I’m curious if there was a report on ridership and the effectiveness of buses? What data prompted the application for a grant to purchase buses? Does the grant cover operation and maintenance and staff? Were public transportation alternatives considered?
Is town information/data regarding these questions available online or otherwise?