While ridership on the regular BC Transit bus has increased since changes in the service were made last year, local Regional District of Central Kootenay directors say it isn’t worth the cost.
“It is not providing the service levels to make it sustainable,” Area B director John Kettle said at a local services committee meeting on Sept. 4. “It isn’t close to giving value to taxpayers.”
Kettle was responding to a presentation by BC Transit regional manager Kevin Schubert, who presented figures showing that riders pay for less than 10 per cent of the cost of the service.
“A new flexible service (one that allows drivers to deviate from the route and take calls for pickup) has seen positive results, particularly in the latter part of the year,” Schubert reported. “The service change included the introduction of on-demand zones, which eliminated unnecessary deviations where no ridership existed provided for better utilization of service hours for regional and community shuttle service.”
The on-demand service replaced one that simply had a bus run on a defined route, regardless of whether it was being used.
While Schubert said BC Transit expects it to take three years for a change in system to take hold, recent ridership “indicates a positive trend.”
That might not be enough to save it, though.
“The BC Transit service never serves people in outlying areas and now, because of the DriveAble program, people are being forced to drive even when they lose their licence,” Kettle said. “If this was a business it would have failed in the first year. It would be cheaper for those 20 users (the number of regular riders) to be put in a cab than to continue with this model.”
He pointed out that directors are happy with the HandyDart (which picks up riders on request) and medical shuttle to Cranbrook, “although I don’t know how well it would be used if it didn’t stop at Wal-Mart.”
While directors agreed that the current contractor provides excellent service to riders, the service doesn’t provide good value for the tax dollars spent.
“Are you opposed to us finding someone that can run a more flexible service?” Area C director Larry Binks asked.
“You have one of the cheapest operators in the province and excellent service,” Schubert replied. “Some communities are doing their own service, but not through BC Transit funding.”
“Could a society step forward to run this?” Binks asked.
“The answer is no,” Schubert said.
Schubert said that BC Transit requires that all contracts go out to public bid for renewal, and that the current operator is in the midst of a seven-year contract.
Area A director Garry Jackman said that the aging population on the East Shore of Kootenay Lake is creating a demand for a scheduled bus service, something not offered at this time.
“Can we opt out of this service and use our funding to create our own service with our 40 per cent contribution of tax dollars?” Kettle asked.
“With 90 days notice,” Schubert said.
The BC Transit community shuttle averages 11 riders per 5.5-hour day at a cost per rider of $16.90.