Correction: A previous version of this article reported the wrong start date. The new transit service launches Sept. 23. CollingwoodToday apologizes for the error.
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Grey County has launched its new public transit system and the Town of the Blue Mountains (TBM) route will begin Sept. 23.
The Grey Transit Route (GTR) consists of 30 bus stops on four routes: Highway 10 between Owen Sound and Orangeville; Highway 26 between Owen Sound and TBM; Highway 6 between Owen Sound and Wiarton and Grey Road 4 between Flesherton and Walkerton.
Currently, riders are being asked to book their seats in advance either online or by calling 226-910-1001.
“This is not the typical way to ride a bus. But, in the world of COVID, we've implemented this and we think that it will be a very good safety measure,” Stephanie Stewart, manager of community transportation for Grey County.
The TBM to Owen Sound route will begin on Wednesday (Sept. 23) and will run weekly from Wednesday to Sunday.
Bus stop locations for this route include: Blue Mountain Resort, Blue Mountains Health Centre, Thornbury Foodland, Meaford Valu Mart, the Meaford Hall, Smart Centres Bus Stop, Owen Sound Hospital, Georgian College, Owen Sound Transit, the Woodford Community Centre, and the Bumstead Medical Clinic.
According to Stewart, a trailer vehicle will be active in the first week to ensure if there are individuals waiting at the bus stop who have not booked a seat in advance, they will not be left stranded.
Fare for the GTR will also not be implemented until November.
“This will give everybody a chance to try any of the routes for free for a short period of time,” Stewart said.
The TBM to Owen Sound route will have a rate of $5.00 for adults, $4.50 for students and seniors and riders under the age of five are free.
As this is the initial launch of the GTR, ridership and accessibility will be limited. Riders will need to be able to step into the vehicle on their own.
Those individuals who may require additional assistance or a lift for a wheelchair will be connected to current specialized transit in the regions, such as Home and Community Support Services.
County staff are currently exploring the required investment to expand vehicle capacity and add ambulatory seats.
“It is our recommendation to wait and see how the service goes and what the uptake is from our residents to learn what the patterns are before we dish out any additional funds,” Stewart said.
“We will be receiving KPI data from Driverseat on a regular basis, which will give me a good understanding of what's happening and our current ridership.”
Stewart said public support for the project was very strong prior to the launch and she expects to see decent ridership numbers in the first few months.
“Part of what we're trying to understand in these initial months of this program is where that demand is,” added Kim Wingrove, CAO for Grey County.
County staff will be bringing a report back to council that will review the success of each route and a summary of any unmet demand. The report is expected to be back at the council table by January at the latest.
