Responses are coming in for the survey on possible expansion of Belleville’s transit service.
With another couple of weeks to go on the survey of Ward Two residents and those who travel regularly into and out of the ward, about 3,000 people have responded so far. Transit Manager Paul Buck tells Quinte News the area has grown since the last survey three years ago.
Buck says it doesn’t have to be a full-fledged “fixed service.”
He pointed to the importance of the data that would be collected.
“So one of the things we’re going to have to look at is how we’re going to do some cost recovery for the service we’re going to provide, be it through a user fee zone for additional higher rates of service, higher costs of transit service or are there enough people interested in the additional tax that we may be able to use the tax base. That’s all information that we don’t know yet and have to look. A: what the ward residents want and B: what council will approve.”
Buck pointed to the many opportunities available now. “So many different opportunities for different types of service to try to suit the demand now than what we looked at in the past. Transcab is like the original Uber, a taxi style with a subsidy paid by the city. It’s economical provided ridership is low and demand isn’t very high. If below four or five customers in an hour, then you can get away with it. A lot less money than a bus service.”
The survey runs until July 19.
Buck says any decisions involving expanded service and equipment would have to go to capital budget later this year, and the operating budget in 2020.
