180212 Transit Pilot Committee MINCommunity Transportation Pilot Program Steering Committee (Tillsonburg)
Meeting Notes
February 12, 2018
Minutes Taker: Deb Clarke Time: 10:00 -11 :05am
PRESENT: Cathy Hudson, Chief Executive Officer, Community Living
Tillsonburg; John Preston, Community Transportation Coordinator,
David Calder, CAO, Town of Tillsonburg; Brian Stephenson, Councilor, Town of
Tillson burg
REGRETS: Carolijn Verbakel, Social Planning Council Oxford; John Verbakel; Geoff
Reekie, Executive Director Multi-Service Centre
Welcome: John Preston
Cathy advised the committee that Geoff will not be able to attend to these meetings.
Review and adoption of minutes from previous meeting and business arising:
• Deferred to March 12, 2018 meeting.
Ridership and budget report: -John Preston
John reviewed and explained the ridership and budget report to the committee.
• The numbers went up in January.
• There was a 22% increase since December 2017.
• The average daily rides were 43 rides, highest we have ever had.
Unable to service:
• The bus was pulled out of service for a full day on January 30, 2018, causing the cancellation of 27
rides and 8 rides were denied due to mechanical failure.
• Out-of-town request (5)
• Wait time between buses (4)
• Schedule does not meet needs/cannot make appointment on time (3)
• Ride too long (1)
• Didn't know where bus stop location (1)
• Delivery Request (1)
Demographic
• Nothing has changed.
Financial
• Wages have gone over budget due to Minimum Wage increase.
• Benefits were missed calculated last year.
• Fuel is over budget, gas has gone up again.
• The expenses are under budget.
• We have received $25,000.00 from the Provincial extended fund.
• We have not received the $54,000.00 Gas tax on our end <IS of yet:
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Discussion: MTO Grant Summary -John Preston.
a. Proposal Outline:
• The grant is $1,074,000.00.
• Oxford County program would start with 3 runs/day and would increase to 4 runs/day.
o The bus will run 5 days/week.
John is hoping in the 3rd year that we can have a bus to take people to London.
• The grant has a few hurdles for the VIA and Greyhound bus runs in
London.
o Research needed to prove that VIA and Greyhound bus are not providing this
service, reason for the 2 -3 year gap.
o The grant looks for duplication of service
• T:GO would potentially compete with community organizations, Greyhound
and VIA, and so may be required to connect in Woodstock or Ingersoll
instead
b. Comments:
• Potential Conflicts:
o MSC/Stonebridge and the Red Cross provide rides for out-of-town rides at a
discounted price.
• Letter of Support:
o John contacted Peter Crocket to provide a letter of support.
Program Development:
o We could also take people to the Woodstock Hospital that offers more services
than the Tillson burg Hospital such as: surgeries and cancer treatments.
o It was suggested to start off with one day/week for the out-of-town rides to see
how it would work first to London
o Have the Taxi Cab Companies been approached? No, They have not been
approached the taxi cab companies in regards to out-of-town rides.
•
o Would this affect the Taxi Cab Companies? Taxi companies are not running out of
town as much as they were before.
• Program Budget:
o T:GO in-town and the out-of-town bus would have separate budgets.
o There is full funding until March 31, 2018 through Community Living Tillsonburg.
o T:GO is using Office 9 as In-Kind office space. Discussions required to determine
if this can be maintained in up-coming
o Is it possible that the contracted bus company (through the RFP) could purchase
the T:GO bus from Community Living Tillson burg to pay of what is owing?
o The Province will not give us anymore pilot program funding as T:GO has
transitioned us to the Gas Tax program.
Discussion: Council Meeting, February 12, 2018@ 6:00pm.
a. What can be expected?
• RFP is being presented to Council [February 12]
$140,000.00 is needed to run T:GO for a year.
If the town has funds for $100,000.00 we would still need $40,000.00.
o The $40,000.00 is the Coordinator's salary. The Coordinator's salary could be
budgeted into the MTO Grant. T:GO and the out-of-town bl.is could be combined
into one Coordinator's position.
• The town will be asked to fund $28,000.00.
• Inter-City Application:
o Maybe other towns could pay to take their people to other communities.
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b. Types of Questions? Feedback to date?
Next meeting: Monday, March 12, 2018 (10:00-11:30am).
Adjournment
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