Report to/Rapport au :

 

Transit Commission

Commission du transport en commun

 

12 October 2011 / 12 octobre 2011

 

Submitted by/Soumis par: Alain Mercier, General Manager/Directeur général

Transit Services/Services du transport en commun

 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Pat Scrimgeour, Manager, Transit Service Design

Transit Services/Service de transports en commun

(613) 580-2424, ext. 2205

 

City Wide/à l’échelle de la Ville

Ref N°: ACS2011-ICS-TRA-0021

 

 

SUBJECT:

IMPROVED TRANSIT SERVICES FOR SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN RURAL AREAS

 

 

OBJET :

AMÉLIORATION DES SERVICES DE TRANSPORT EN COMMUN POUR LES AÎNÉS ET LES PERSONNES HANDICAPÉES DES SECTEURS RURAUX

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Transit Commission approve:

 

1.                  That there be one Para Transpo rural fare zone, and that  a single rural fare as described in this report be incorporated into the 2012 Draft Business Plan and Budget;

 

2.                  That OC Transpo incorporate four new once-a-week bus trips from rural villages to shopping destinations in the urban part of the City into the 2012 Draft Business Plan and Budget as a pilot project and as described in this report; and

 

3.                  That the rural Para Transpo service delivery model be changed to allocate a portion of the existing rural Para Transpo budget to increase the rural transportation services for seniors and persons with disabilities provided by local community support service agencies as described in this report, and that the General Manager, Transit Services be delegated the authority to enter into funding and service agreements with the Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre, Rural Ottawa South Support Services, the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre, and the Champlain LHIN as described in this report.

 


 

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

 

Que la Commission du transport en commun approuve :

 

1.                  Qu’il y ait une zone de tarif rural pour les services de Para Transpo, et qu’un tarif simple de zone rurale, tel que décrit dans le présent rapport, soit intégré au Budget et au Plan d’affaires provisoire de 2012;

 

2.                  Qu’OC Transpo intègre quatre nouveaux trajets hebdomadaires par autobus depuis les villages ruraux jusqu'aux destinations commerciales de la partie urbaine de la ville dans son Budget et son Plan d’affaires provisoire de 2012, à titre de projet-pilote et tels que décrits dans le présent rapport; et

 

3.                  Que le modèle de prestation de services de Para Transpo en milieu rural soit modifié en vue d’affecter une partie du Budget lié aux services ruraux de Para Transpo actuel à l’augmentation des services de transport en milieu rural pour les personnes âgées et les personnes ayant un handicap fournis par des centres de ressources communautaires locaux, tels que décrits dans le présent rapport, et que le directeur général des Services de transport en commun soit autorisé à conclure des ententes de financement et de services avec le Centre de ressources d’Ottawa-Est, les Services de soutien en milieu rural d’Ottawa-Sud, le Centre de ressources communautaires d’Ottawa-Ouest et le Réseau local d’intégration des services de santé de Champlain, tels que décrits dans le présent rapport.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

On November 7, 2007, the Seniors Advisory Committee (SAC) presented a report entitled Transportation Parity for Seniors and People with Disabilities in Rural Areas (ACS2007-CCV-SAC-0003) to the former Transit Committee.  The Committee directed staff to review the issue of parity for rural seniors and people with disabilities, and that staff review the pre-amalgamation practice of purchasing service from a local community resource centre.

 

On April 10, 2010, the report entitled Improved Transit Services for Seniors and People with Disabilities in Rural Areas (ACS2010-ICS-TRA-0001) was presented to the Transit Committee.  This report recommended that urban Para Transpo service be expanded to cover the entire Urban Policy Area; that consultation be carried out to plan up to four new once-a-week bus trips from rural villages; and, that Para Transpo rural fare zone boundaries be simplified. The Committee referred the report back to staff for further review.

 

This report is the result of that review and of further discussions with the SAC and other agencies providing or funding transportation in the Ottawa area. The recommendations in this report would increase mobility for seniors, people with disabilities, and others in the rural area, with no additional funding, by redirecting some of the current funding.


 

DISCUSSION

 

Para Transpo service is for persons with permanent or short-term disabilities who are unable to safely walk to or board conventional transit.  This service was expanded into all rural areas of the City in September 2002.

 

In 2010, 12,810 trips were made by Para Transpo customers to, from, or within the rural area.  As of July 2011, there were 344 Para Transpo registrants with home addresses in the rural part of the City.  Approximately 75 per cent of all trips made to or from the rural area are made by registrants with rural home addresses; the remainder are made by registrants with home addresses in the Urban Transit Area.

 

For 2011, the budget for rural Para Transpo service was $2,110,000 with $1,969,000 funded from property taxes collected in Rural Transit Areas A and B and $141,000 from fares.  The cost to provide Para Transpo service in the rural area is being managed to be as low as possible by the careful assignment of contracted taxis or Para Transpo vans to each trip.

 

Current fare levels for trips to or from the rural area vary by distance.  Dependent upon the trip origin and destination, the trip fare is either a flat price, which ranges from $4.00 to $18.25, or is calculated using a base price plus an additional charge per kilometre driven.  The majority of rural trips are made between Zone 1 (urban area), and Zone 2, the area immediately surrounding the urban region.  The fare for these trips is $9.50.  Current Para Transpo fares are shown in Document 1 and the fare zones are shown in Document 2.

 

As a comparison, current fares for trips entirely within the Urban Transit Area are $4.25 (or three tickets) for trips before 09:00 Monday to Friday, and $3.25 (or two tickets) for trips at all other times of the week.

 

The cost to provide Para Transpo service in the rural area is extremely high.  In 2010, 12,810 trips were provided within a rural Para Transpo budget of $2.11 million.  This translates into an average cost of $165 per trip.

 

Single Rural Fare

 

During the years since Para Transpo service was extended city-wide in 2002, an issue that many customers and advocacy groups have raised is the barrier to travel that high fares cause, especially for long trips from distant rural areas. Some Para Transpo registrants have limited financial means and it is estimated that 30 per cent of registrants have requirements to make trips for medical reasons. At its meeting of April 10, 2010, the former Transit Committee directed staff to develop recommendations that would reduce this barrier.

 

To address the issue of affordability for Para Transpo service in the rural area, staff recommend that a flat fare be established for all trips to or from the rural area, regardless of trip distance. If this recommendation is approved, then a recommended fare would be developed for the Commission and Council to consider as part of the 2012 Budget.  

 

As a point of comparison, a flat fare of $8.25 in 2010 would have resulted in fares covering five per cent of the cost of the service, down from the current seven per cent. If the fare were established at that level, 94 per cent of the current rural Para Transpo trips would be made at a lower fare, and six per cent would be made at a higher fare.

 

A fare reduction for the majority of customers would have two effects: to reduce fare revenue and to increase service demand. Staff do not recommend increasing the Para Transpo rural budget to satisfy this anticipated demand or to replace the reduced fare revenue. Instead, staff recommend that some of the current Para Transpo funding be transferred to Community Support Service agencies, who can deliver trips more effectively to a wider range of the population (Recommendation 3 of this report).

 

The result of this cooperation will be to provide more mobility within the same level of funding. If the forecast demand for rural Para Transpo service exceeds the budgeted service level in a future year, staff would develop a recommendation for the Commission and Council to consider at that time.

 

Weekly OC Transpo Trips from Rural Villages

 

Staff recommend the introduction on a trial basis of four new once-a-week round trips using conventional low-floor OC Transpo buses, from rural villages to shopping destinations in the central part of Ottawa. These would be modelled on the successful once-a-week round trip that operates from North Gower, Kars, and Manotick to Barrhaven and Carlingwood. This Friday-only round-trip is used for approximately 40 customer-trips each week (20 customers per direction).

 

The four new once-a-week trips would operate as follows:

·      Monday – Route 201 from Richmond to Stittsville, Bayshore, Carlingwood

·      Tuesday – Route 202 from Navan, Sarsfield, Cumberland to Place d’Orléans, St. Laurent

·      Wednesday – Route 203 from Dunrobin, Carp to Bayshore, Carlingwood

·      Thursday – Route 204 from Metcalfe, Greely to South Keys, Billings Bridge

·      Friday – Route 205 from North Gower, Kars, Manotick to Barrhaven, Carlingwood (renumbered from the current Route 186)

 

The proposed new routes, and the existing service from North Gower, are shown in Document 3.

 

These services would improve mobility for residents of the rural villages by providing access to affordable, accessible transportation. The trips can be used by seniors and Para Transpo registrants, as well as by any other traveller, with or without a disability and with or without limited financial means.

 

In addition to shopping, some customers may be able to schedule regular medical appointments for the days and times that the buses operate. Customers would be able to transfer to other OC Transpo services to make trips to locations that are not directly served by these new trips.

 

The cost to provide these new trips is approximately $117,000 per year, and this would be reallocated from within the current funding for rural Para Transpo service. Ridership counts would be taken regularly, to allow an evaluation after six months and after one year of service, to ensure that the trips are achieving their intended purpose and that they are a cost-effective way of providing increased mobility to rural residents. Staff would report back to the Commission on the results of these evaluations.

 

These new routes would begin operation in January 2012.

 

Cooperation with Community Support Service Agencies

 

Three community support service agencies – Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre (EORC), Rural Ottawa South Support Services (ROSSS), and Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre (WOCRC) – currently provide transportation to essential appointments for seniors and adults with disabilities. Their programs are supported through limited provincial funding and community donations.

 

Staff recommend redirecting a portion of the current funding for rural Para Transpo service to allow these agencies to expand their service levels. By doing so, it will be possible to provide more mobility for rural residents in the future than is currently accomplished through rural Para Transpo service and service provided by these agencies. The funding would be provided only for the expansion of transportation services by these agencies, and would not replace any funding provided from other sources or by the City for other purposes.

 

The Champlain Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) has announced that it is investing more than $730,000 in new annual funding to expand non-urgent medical transportation services and provide assistance to community support service agencies who deliver the service. Some of these provincial funds may be able to further supplement the transportation services available to Ottawa rural residents. In particular, staff will discuss with the LHIN and the community support service agencies the need for transportation for Ottawa rural residents to hospitals in neighbouring towns (e.g., Almonte, Arnprior, Kemptville, Winchester).

 

Following the approval of this recommendation by the Commission, staff would enter into a funding agreement with these three community support service agencies, and if appropriate, also with the Champlain LHIN. This agreement would transfer $500,000 from the established rural Para Transpo funding to these agencies, to provide expanded transportation service, starting on April 1, 2012.

 

Where appropriate and possible, OC Transpo and the agencies would also cooperate to establish a central contact point for rural travellers and to make the best use of each other’s capabilities. The funding agreement would include a responsibility for the agencies to maintain records on how the City’s funding is being used, including details of the number and destinations of trips provided, to allow for continuous review to confirm that the arrangement is resulting in good value for money.

 

Staff expect that there would be an increase in mobility for seniors and people with disabilities in rural areas, primarily because the community support service agencies are able to provide transportation for a wider range of people than Para Transpo does.

 

Staff also recommend that the responsibility for trips between two rural locations be transferred to the community support service agencies, and that Para Transpo service only be available for trips from the rural area into the urban area or from the urban area to the rural area. There were 150 such trips made on Para Transpo in 2010.

 

Staff would report back to the Commission on the details of the funding agreement once it is completed. Staff would also report back to the Commission later in 2012 on the success of the cooperation and on the number of trips that the cooperative approach is able to provide each year.

Summary of recommended changes in expenditures

 

In 2011, the budget for rural Para Transpo service is:

 

Expenditures

Funding source

$2,110,000 for Para Transpo service

$1,969,000 from property taxes

 

$141,000 from customers’ fares

$2,110,000 total

$2,110,000 total

 

Based on the recommendations in this report, comparable 2011 budget values are estimated to have been:

 

Expenditures

Funding source

$1,452,000 for Para Transpo service

$1,969,000 from property taxes

$117,000 for once-a-week services

$100,000 from customers’ fares

$500,000 to community support service agencies

 

$2,069,000 total

$2,069,000 total

 

The 2012 budget would be based on these figures, updated to reflect 2012 cost levels and fare levels as decided by Council.

 

RURAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The recommendations of this report would increase the affordability of service and mobility for rural Para Transpo customers, seniors, and others with limited means to travel. The recommendations would not change the taxes collected in the rural areas of the city.

 

CONSULTATION

 

The analysis and recommendations in this report respond to a position taken by the Seniors Advisory Committee (SAC). The concepts within this report were discussed with the SAC at their meetings of September 1, 2010; June 1, 2011; and October 5, 2011. Staff and representatives of the SAC have also discussed these issues at meetings of the Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Rural Issues Advisory Committee.

 

At its meeting of September 1, 2010, the Seniors Advisory Committee adopted the following positions, and confirmed on October 5, 2011, that they continue to hold these positions:

 

That there be a single fare zone for all rural Para Transpo users;

That the fare should be the same as the Rural Express OC Transpo fare;

That the additional required funding for the fare reduction should come from a minor increase in the rural transit levy;

That funding be also be provided to enable increased and coordinated ride programs in the rural areas for the rural adults with physical disabilities and the senior community through a coalition of Community Support Services agencies; and,

That the Champlain Local Health Integration Network be approached to assist in providing some of the funding.

 

COMMENTS BY WARD COUNCILLORS

 

The Councillors for the areas affected by the recommended changes have been briefed by staff on this report, and concur with the staff recommendations.

 

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no legal impediments in implementing the recommendations in this report.

 

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no risk management impediments to the implementation of this report’s recommendations.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

Recommendations approved as a result of this report would be reflected in the 2012 Budget and OC Transpo Business Plan.  OC Transpo proposes that the change to a single rural Para Transpo fare strategy would not directly influence residential tax rates since this would be offset by a more effective service delivery model.  A review of the pilot and the negotiated agreements with the agencies would be required to confirm the value for money benefit of this initiative.

 

TECHNOLOGY IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

CITY STRATEGIC PLAN

 

The recommendations in this report are in line with several objectives contained in the 2007-2010 City Strategic Plan. Specifically, the recommendations will improve mobility for Para Transpo customers living in rural areas in an efficient, fair, and cost-effective manner.

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION 

 

Document 1     Current statistics on rural Para Transpo service

Document 2     Current Para Transpo fare zone map

Document 3     Recommended new OC Transpo routes from rural villages

Document 4     Paper considered by Seniors’ Advisory Committee, September 1, 2010

 

DISPOSITION

 

If adopted by the Commission, staff will proceed to implement the recommendations outlined in the report.

CURRENT STATISTICS ON RURAL PARA TRANSPO SERVICE         DOCUMENT 1

 

Para Transpo Rural Costs and Revenues, Budget for 2011

 

Operating costs

$2,110,000

Fare revenue

$141,000

Net tax requirement

$1,969,000

 

Rural Service by Fare Zone

 

Trips in 2010

Fare

Zone 2 to/from urban area

9,548

$9.50

Zone 3 to/from urban area

2,231

$13.50

Zone 4 to/from urban area

858

$18.25

Within villages

22

$4.00

or 3 tickets

Adjacent sub-zones

724

$5.00

Entirely within rural area, outer end of trip in Zone 2

103

$1.66 + $0.46/km

Entirely within rural area, outer end of trip in Zone 3

47

$4.40 + $0.46/km

Entirely within rural area, outer end of trip in Zone 4

1

$7.21 + $0.46/km

Total

12,810

 

 

Rural Para Transpo Registrants by Fare Zone (July 2011)

 

Zone 2

224 registrants

Zone 3

90 registrants

Zone 4

30 registrants

Total

344 registrants

Note: Registrants with rural addresses make up approximately 2 percent of the City-wide total.

 

Rural Trips by Registrants’ Home Location

 

Home address in rural area

9,350 (est)

75 %

Home address in Urban Transit Area

3,460 (est)

25 %

 

Average Length of Rural Para Transpo Trip

 

 

Customers’ trips

Vehicle km required

Within urban area

12 km

14km

Zone 2 to/from urban area

24 km

38 km

Zone 3 to/from urban area

29 km

49 km

Zone 4 to/from urban area

58 km

116 km

 

 


2009 PARA TRANSPO RURAL FARE ZONE MAP                                DOCUMENT 2

 

 

 


Recommended new OC Transpo

routes from rural villages                                                              DOCUMENT 3

 



 

Paper considered at Seniors’

Advisory Committee, September 1, 2010                                     Document 4

 

1 September 2010

 

Equity and fairness for rural Para Transpo

 

SUBJECT: Rural Para Transpo equity and fairness

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS:

 

The Seniors Advisory Committee recommends that the Transit Committee recommend to Council that the rural Para Transpo policy be amended to include:

  1. That there be a single fare zone for all rural Para Transpo users
  2. That the fare should be the same as the Rural Express OC Transpo fare
  3. That the additional required funding for the fare reduction should come from a minor increase in the rural transit levy
  4. That funding be also be provided to enable increased and coordinated ride programs in the rural areas for the rural adults with physical disabilities and the senior community through a coalition of Community Support Services agencies.
  5. That the Champlain Local Health Integration Network be approached to assist in providing some of the funding.

 

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

 

Prior to amalgamation there was no formal Para Transpo service in the rural townships. Several townships such as West Carleton did provide the service for the disabled and isolated seniors via a contract with Community Support Services agencies. Following a 2002 staff report and extensive consultation Council decided in 2003 to extend Para Transpo to the rural areas. The funding was to be based on a 10%/90% ratio of user fees and rural transit levy. The rates would be set using zones and the distance travelled.

 

RECENT BACKGROUND

 

The Seniors Advisory Committee in 2007 expressed its concerns regarding the fairness and equity with a motion to Transit Committee. Transit Committee on 7 November 2007 passed the following motions:

 

1.             That Transit Committee direct staff to review the issue of parity for rural seniors and people with disabilities using Para Transpo to ensure that they are receiving a service that is affordable for all, especially those on low-fixed incomes, and report back to Committee by May 2008; and

 

2.             That the review proposed in this report (ACS2007-CCV-SAC-0003) include a review of the pre-amalgamation practice of purchasing service from a local Community Resource Centre as a means of providing ‘para-like’ service.

 

On 21 April 2010 the issue was returned to Transit Committee with a staff report recommending a change in the number of zones and some other adjustments. Transit Committee directed staff to again review the situation with advisory committees and report back to Standing Committee(s). The review was to include consideration of possible partnerships with Community Support Services agencies.

 

CURRENT SITUATION

 

There were 300 rural Para Transpo users in 2009 making 15,200 one-way trips. With the recent inclusion of Stittsville and other areas into the urban area, it is estimated that the number of trips will be reduced to 12,600 trips. The current non-peak Para Transpo fare in the urban area is 2 tickets ($2.50) while in the rural area the fare ranges from $9.50 to more than $18.50 depending on distance.

 

ISSUES:

 

City Size: Ottawa is now the largest major Canadian city by area and encompasses a very significant rural region. Rural Ottawa includes 84,500 residents who are now City of Ottawa taxpayers and users of City services.

 

The zone system: At the outset and still today fares in the rural area are set by a zone system. While this was an attempt to simplify the “distance formula” it created inequities. In addition the zone system is unique to the rural areas and is not replicated elsewhere by either OC Transpo or Para Transpo. Furthermore it is complicated for both the user and the dispatcher.

 

Fare simplicity: Para Transpo fares are already complicated. Rural Para Transpo adds even more to that complication. Any change to the fare structure should ensure that it is easy to understand and implement.

 

Equity and Fairness: Whether one live is the urban or rural area, we are all now residents of Ottawa. Funding is currently based on urban/rural transit levies on the tax base. While perhaps not in the same category as police, fire and paramedic service Para Transpo is very much an essential service for those few users who need it. Within the rural area there is considerable variance in the fares charged while it should be noted that there is no zone or distance fare in the urban area.

 

Community Support Agencies: Prior to amalgamation and today several Community Support Agencies provided transportation for adults with physical disabilities and isolated rural seniors. This is done through a combination of paid and volunteer drivers with the user paying a fee for the service. It is limited by resources and as not equally available to all rural areas. A recent pilot project funded by the Champlain Local Health Integration Network (CLHIN) has been successful in the southern areas on a limited scale with one vehicle. Without this service demand for Para Transpo in the rural areas would be increased.

 

Capacity and drain on urban Para Transpo: Demand for Para Transpo throughout the City is at or beyond capacity. It is not unusual for a transportation request to be refused because of lack of capacity. Rural Para Transpo draws on these same limited resources. Because of the distances involved each rural Para Transpo requires 3 times the resources of an urban trip.

 

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS/OPTIONS

 

Status quo: While the present system has been working for the past 7 years it does not address the inequity within the rural areas. It also keeps the large disparity between urban and rural fares. There would be no immediate funding implications.

 

Staff April 2010 proposal: This proposal moves the Rideau-Carleton raceway and a few other areas into the urban area. It also reduces the number of zones somewhat but the significant fare disparity remains. There would be no immediate funding implications.

 

Single rural zone (one fare): This option would provide a measure of simplicity and fairness within the rural area. However, it would necessitate an average fare which would mean a higher fare than even the current $9.50 bottom end fare. There would be no immediate funding implications.

 

Single rural zone and a reduced single fare: This option would provide both simplicity and equity within the rural area. It would also provide less disparity with the urban Para Transpo fare. To compensate for reducing the fare additional funding would be required. It is also anticipated that if the fare were reduced that there would be increased demand for the service from Para Transpo users.

 

Single rural zone, reduced single fare usage limitation: With Para Transpo having limited resources an increase in demand due to a reduced rural Para Transpo fare there would be less capacity available for urban Para Transpo. The suggestion here is that the current level of service (number of trips) be maintained after the fare reduction. To compensate for reducing the fare additional funding would still be required.

 

Single rural zone and reduced fare with rural Community Support Services agencies augmentation: This option would counter (and perhaps lower) rural Para Transpo demand by assisting Community Support Services agencies to provide a parallel service. Overall this would improve service to the rural community while maintaining equity, fairness and simplicity for rural Para Transpo users. In addition to more funding support being required for rural Para Transpo there would also be need to help fund the Community Support Services agencies for providing this service.

 

DISCUSSION

 

It should be the City’s objective to provide a fair and equitable Para Transpo service without undue financial implications or a reduction in service. As such the removal of zones within the rural area and a reduction in fares would go a long way to meeting that goal.

 

As per some other services that are unique to the rural area it is felt that they would agree to pay a small surcharge to help compensate for the increased cost. Should the fares be reduced to be the same as those now charged for rural Express OC Transpo (4 tickets or $5.25) that would provide both simplicity and fairness. This would still be double that of the urban Para Transpo fare.

 

To limit the service (number of trips) which would be the result of a fare reduction would punish the very vulnerable disabled community we are now trying to assist. On the other hand removing 3 urban Para Transpo trips for every new rural trip does not seem fair or justified either.

 

The pilot service by the Seniors Rural Transportation Project has shown that they can provide a valuable service to our adults with physical disabilities and isolated senior rural community. Expanding the service would provide a parallel service to Para Transpo and forestall any increase in demand. The various Community Support Services agencies (Township of Osgoode Home Support, Rideau Community Support Services, Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre and Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre) have experience in providing transportation using paid and volunteer drivers and also would provide additional flexibility to that offered by Para Transpo.

 

Keeping rural seniors and the disabled active and reasonably mobile should be considered a social benefit. It should be noted that rural residents due to geography do not benefit from many social programs available to their urban counterparts.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

Funding is always a major issue and concern. Current funding for rural Para Transpo is $1,748,000. This works out to an average of $140 per trip. Reducing the fare to that of Rural Express OC Transpo would require additional funding of approximately $75,000 or about $3 per rural household as part of the rural transit levy.

 

Additional funding for providing a parallel service through the Community Support Services agencies should definitely be considered as well. There is a transit benefit, a social benefit and for the CLHIN there is an overall health benefit. The four partnering Community Support agencies have determined that a likely start-up cost for the first year to provide service throughout the rural area would be $635,000. Annual operating costs thereafter would be $445,000. It should be noted that these are only initial ball-park estimates and will need to be refined. As the CLHIN was a funder of the pilot program and as they provide funding for similar services in other areas of eastern Ontario, there may well be an opportunity for a funding partnership arrangement. All partners need to participate in the modest cost needed to provide this more general service which benefits the well being of our rural residents.

 

CONSULTATION

 

The issue of rural Para Transpo has been discussed with and supported by the Accessibility Advisory Committee, the Rural Issues Advisory Committee, the Ottawa Seniors Transportation Committee, the four rural partnering Community Support agencies and representatives from OC Transpo.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the rural Para transit policy be amended to include:

  1. That there be a single fare zone for all rural Para Transpo users
  2. That the fare should be the same as the Rural Express OC Transpo fare
  3. That the additional required funding for the fare reduction should come from a minor increase in the rural transit levy
  4. That funding be also be provided to enable increased and coordinated ride programs in the rural areas for the rural adults with physical disabilities and the senior community through a coalition of Community Support Services agencies.
  5. That the Champlain Local Health Integration Network be approached to assist in providing some of the funding.