EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to remove fare hike information, as the Town of Collingwood has clarified that there will be no fare changes when Collingwood transit moves to the on-demand service.
With changes coming to Collingwood transit, some riders are wondering how their daily trips might also change.
On April 17, CollingwoodToday rode Colltrans to speak to the people who use the service to find out what they think works well, what they think could be improved, and their initial thoughts on a move to on-demand transit, which is planned to roll out in Collingwood in mid-May.
Robin Ziegler and Scarlet Han both live and work at Blue Mountain Resort and live in staff housing there. They both say they take the Blue Mountain Link to Collingwood and back about twice a week to run errands such as getting groceries and going to appointments.
“I don’t have a car. I get around by walking or public transit,” said Ziegler.
Ziegler says one of the challenges she sees is that the Blue Mountain Link only runs once an hour, so if she’s late, she has no choice but to wait.
“They are very consistent at being on time,” she said.
With a move to on-demand, she wonders what will happen if she’s late for a pickup or drop off, which is an issue she has faced in using the on-demand shuttle service provided by the resort to workers living in staff housing.
“What if I can’t get on the next bus because it’s already full of pre-booked (riders)?” she said.
Han says she’s never seen the bus be late, and she likes that the bus runs every hour as it makes it easy for her to plan around the schedule.
“I’m from the U.K., so I’m used to more frequent buses. It is a bit different that way,” said Han. “In the Americas, transport isn’t as frequent because it’s easier to get around by car in these areas. The U.K. is built for public transport.”
Han says she’s not used to an on-demand model for transit, and says she has concerns about having to regularly schedule ahead of time when she’ll need a ride.
“You can’t be spontaneous. I can understand why. The buses are never that crowded,” she said.
Roxanne Foster picks up the Blue Mountain Link heading back to Collingwood. Today, she’s planning to run errands, which include buying more data for her cell phone as she’s currently out.
When asked about the move to on-demand, Foster points to her specific situation today as a reason she has concerns about the move.
“If I don’t have data, how would I be able to order the bus? What if you’re out and your phone battery dies? I think that might be challenging,” she said.
Foster hails from Barbados, and says overall, the local transit is much better than the transit she was used to back home.
“It’s really good compared to where I’m from,” she said.
On-demand transit a long time coming
The move to an on-demand transit model was approved by Collingwood council back in December 2021, with an initial roll-out expectation in the summer of 2022.
The Town of Collingwood initiated a transit service review and optimization study in early 2020 to provide a detailed analysis of the Colltrans transit system. Collingwood’s last transit review had been completed in 2006.
On-demand service will mean riders would book rides online in advance and buses would only be deployed for requested rides. The option to re-introduce regular routes into the service at a future date is still on the table under the on-demand system, should staff find certain routes are regularly full.
A switch to on-demand will also mean previously un-serviced areas in Collingwood’s south end will now be eligible to receive transit.
However, delays due to the pandemic, the roll-out of the accessible TransitPLUS model and finding an operator to create the on-demand technology led to overall delays in implementing the new system as well as the corresponding fare hike.
As of this month, Kris Wiszniak, the public works and transit co-ordinator with the town, confirmed the new timeline for the roll-out of the on-demand system is slated for mid-May.
“We will be beginning with weekends only, and then transitioning to evening and weekdays as riders begin to familiarize themselves with the new system,” Wiszniak told CollingwoodToday this month. “Delays occurred as a result of the implementation of TransitPLUS and the start of our new operating contract in the latter half of 2022.”
“Additionally, as we began the planning process with the software provider, we were also experiencing a rebound in our ridership post-COVID and that affected the phasing strategy for implementation,” he said.
Pine St. terminal a concern for some
On Monday, three OPP cruisers surrounded the Pine St. transit terminal. According to security on-site, the police were called after a man caused a disturbance at the terminal. When police ran his name through their systems, he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest on file and police took him into custody. He sat with his head down in the back of one of the cruisers.
According to a regular transit rider who was waiting at the terminal for the westbound bus, this type of scene is a regular occurrence.
“We need security here to be more frequent,” said Theresa Williams, who says she uses the bus almost every day to get around town. “A lot of drug stuff goes on, and prostitution in the bathrooms.”
Today, Williams was attending an appointment. She says she’d like to see conventional transit hours expanded. Currently, transit in Collingwood runs from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“A lot of people do shift work. It restricts me in terms of the types of employment (I can apply for). There are some jobs that start at 6 or 7 a.m. and I can’t apply,” she said.
Mallory Rhodes is a student at Collingwood Collegiate Institute (CCI). She takes the bus to get to her after-school job at Blue Mountain Resort as her parents are still at work at that time. Typically, her parents pick her up at the resort to bring her home after work. When discussing on-demand, Rhodes seems excited at the prospect.
“That will be awesome,” she said. “I think it will be better, with more personalized timing. Right now, I usually have to wait 40 minutes for the bus to come. If I could order it and it be here in 10 minutes, it would save me so much time.”
Following the OPP altercation, Rhodes said she does sometimes have safety concerns when she waits at the terminal.
“I was thinking of asking my parents if I could sit in my mom’s office (nearby), instead of sitting in (the terminal),” she said.
On the westbound bus, CCI students Charlie Howell and her friend Eva Lally jumped on after school and were still deciding on their final destination for the day. They were planning to make a stop at Stellar’s on First St. for Howell to get her computer repaired.
Howell says she rides the bus a few times a week, and has seen some things Colltrans does really well, as well as areas they could improve.
“The bus drivers are mostly really nice,” said Howell. “I think when people have difficulty walking, the drivers could help them more.”
“More comfortable seats would be nice,” said Lally.
Howell says there have been a few times where buses have broken down which have made her late for job.
“I’ve missed out on work, which makes me lose out on money,” she said.
When talking about the move to on-demand, Howell says it would be an improvement, but she has concerns about the impacts to other local businesses.
“My papa drives people around in his job. Will that put other people out of a job?” asked Howell, mentioning local cab and shuttle companies that might see less uptake if people are able to order a bus.
Sandra Payette said she was taking the bus for the first time today. She was travelling from her home on Eighth and Walnut, to the downtown and back again.
“It’s taken me almost an hour to get home,” she said, with a laugh. “More frequency would be good. Everybody is friendly.”
Payette said she had heard about the town’s plans to move to an on-demand transit model.
“The only thing I’m thinking about that is, not everybody has a phone. I have a home phone, but I need a new battery for my cell phone. I would be up the creek. I guess I could find somebody who could phone for me,” she said. “I’m 76. I guess one day, I’ll have to give up my car.”
Dan Watson says he usually uses his bicycle to get around town, but today opted to take the bus due to rain to visit a friend at Shannon Towers.
“I live close to the main street, so I’m close to everything,” he said. “All the drivers are so polite and the buses are on-time most of the time. I think they do a great job.”
“I don’t think (on-demand) will pan out. I think this way is the best,” said Watson.
At the end of the route, Ezra Forest sits in the Pine St. terminal, waiting for his son to pick him up following a visit to Collingwood General and Marine Hospital. Forest lives in Wasaga Beach and doesn’t have a car. He uses the bus to get to hospital appointments or work at Georgian Hose on Mountain Rd.
When his shifts end after 9 p.m., Forest says he has had to walk home to Wasaga Beach on a few occasions. He said it can take about an hour and a half to make the trek on foot.
“I’d like it if it could run a little later,” said Forest. “There’s no way I can go out in the evening. I can’t go to the movies.”
